The Kitchen

The purpose of the kitchen is to foster connections among local farmers, chefs, processors, bakers, caterers, educators and emerging local food businesses. Kitchen producers can explore new business ideas with minimum capital investment. This allows farmers and food entrepreneurs to add value, prepare foods to-go, and accelerate their businesses directly to the consumer.

The ultimate goal is to empower local farmers by offering their agricultural products to the local community, many of whom have limited access to fresh food. Kitchen producers, in turn, can add value to these raw products, thus contributing to a hub of creative energy around local food. The space and resources allow producers to take their enterprises to the next level, while providing the community with expanded opportunities for local, fresh, healthy food options. The kitchen is also a resource for expanded educational and employment opportunities.

INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE?

Philmont Community Bakery

My name is Koenraad van der Meer and I have been a professional bread baker for more than 40 years. I specialize in baking a unique line of breads that are malt-leavened, instead of relying on commercial yeast or sourdough starter. Because of its unique leavening process and heirloom grain composition, my bread is easier to digest, more nutritious, and delicious. The leaven from malted barley also naturally contains silica, which some believe counteracts the effect of electromagnetic radiation. In bringing together the grain and the leaven, I am guided by the spiritual science of Rudolf Steiner

To make my bread, I begin by sourcing organic whole spelt from a farm in the Finger Lakes as well as organic whole rye grain from a farm in Columbia County. Working at the Philmont Community Bakery, I use a small Austrian stone mill to grind the grain into flour. With steady growth of sales at local farmers markets, co-ops, and health food stores, this small stone mill is overworked; it’s been repaired several times in the last year. I am in need of a reliable, bigger mill to be able to continue to make fresh ground flour for bread. I would also like to make the flour available for sale to home bakers at the Philmont Coop Kitchen and the Farmer's markets in Hudson, Hillsdale/Copake, Millerton, and Amenia.

New American Mills Company in Wolcott, Vermont, makes a large, natural granite stone mill. The cost of this mill is $12,000. I have been able to put a down payment on the mill and ask for your help to fund the remaining cost.

Why does the flour need to be fresh and naturally stone ground?

• Oxidation begins soon after the grain is ground, and the grain starts to lose vitality within 48 hours.

• A natural whole granite stone gradually rubs and opens the grain without crushing it, which allows for a clean separation of the bran and the endosperm (the inner flour part) and preserves the delicate enzymes and vitamins. The grain travels the whole surface of the large stone, so it very gradually opens the kernel. Industrial mills simply pulverize the grain, destroying many nutrients.

Rock n’ Raw Edibles

Hey There Neighbor! My name is Lynne Arnold and I’ve been a Columbia County, resident since 1971!  I have many reasons to LOVE this part of the world but I’m especially thrilled as to how our beautiful area is flourishing with the local food scene!  According to Visit Hudson, NY 2018; “Columbia County Farming has enjoyed a major renaissance, with traditional dairy farms joined by a wave of organic, heirloom and free range producers.”

In 2005 I was directly influenced by this phenomenon with my educational work at Questar III, BOCES. I learned about Ag markets and the growth of Columbia County Bounty through various Farm to School grant-funded programming; bringing students to local farms and creating school gardens. I recognized the interest consumers had for local, healthy and tasty foods and wanted to be a part of it.  

So...  in 2016 my enthusiasm for this movement, the philosophy, “you are what you eat”, and my desire and efforts to become a self-employed woman, Rock ‘n Raw Edibles was born! 

Taste the difference with all natural, locally produced RAW-milk, aged Alpine cheese from Cooperstown Cheese Co. and RAW greens from in-season local produce growers in my hand crafted, small batch PESTOS!  They are made fresh and sold exclusively at The Philmont Cooperative Kitchen, and at the Hudson, Saugerties, Coxsackie & West Stockbridge Markets.

To your Health! Lynne

EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES

What are some of the features that are available to producers and farmers?

The 2,000 sq. ft. Philmont Cooperative facility houses the equipment and licensing needed to make food products for sale at Philmont Cooperative…or around the country!

• 1200 sq ft Article 20C NYS Ag & Markets licensed kitchen and retail market space with cafe area seating

• 950 sq ft dry and cold storage with separate punch-in entry door in rear of facility

• 6650 sq ft outdoor market area with parking

• 830 sq ft outdoor cafe area with on-site food truck, picnic tables and market umbrellas for 12 seats

• ADA certified public restroom

• Vulcan 60SS–10B Endurance Restaurant 10-burner range, gas, 30,000 BTU burners, and 2 ovens

• Commercial pot filler located to service range

• Garland/US Range SunFire Convection Oven, gas, double-deck

• Metro C539–CFC–U3 Series Heated Holding & Proofing Cabinet with adjustable racks

• Globe SP40 Planetary Mixer, floor model, 40 qt. 304 stainless steel bowl, #12attachment hub

• Commercial bakers’ speed rack

• Custom built 21 ft run of stainless steel prep tables with roll-in bin capacity, and 12-counter seating for cooking classes

• 3-bay stainless steel sink 10’ with drainage boards with pre-rinse assembly and pot racks

• 2-bay stainless steel sink with drainage boards

• Type I and Type 2 commercial wall canopy stainless steel hoods, exhausts, and makeup air

• State of the art fire suppressant hood computerized senor assembly

• 300 gallon grease trap installed outside kitchen

• Kool-It one door display kitchen fridge

• Kool-It double door display freezer