Once the conditions turns terse and the calendar page flips to October , it ’s clip for theHobby Farmseditors to maneuver to the Incredible Food Show in Lexington , Ky. , give them a chance to speak with producers create locally made product . This class , we want to find out their most endeared gadget for creating ( or in some case , selling ) their products , as well as touch base with them about the challenges they ’ve overcome as local businesses .
David Sponcil , Browning ’s Country HamBrowning ’s Country Ham has been a family business since the seventies . They offer cooked ham , uncooked ham , Francis Bacon , biscuits , high mallow and more , offered in Kentucky retail vent and online .
Favorite Gadget : Square“This tool allow for me to take debit carte du jour and recognition cards , so I can do business from my iPhone . I do n’t take a computing machine to pinch the cards . My first time using it is today at the Food Show . ”
Biggest Challenge : merchandising and advertising“Right now I ’m working to optimize our website for Google and to get hold more retail outlets . Finding retail outlets is the most unmanageable . ”
Ed Puterbough , Boone Creek CreameryBoone Creak Creamery offers more than 35 handmade , artificer cheeseflower . Using traditional European techniques , Boone Creek speciate in hard - to - find Old World cheeses , giving each flavor a touch of Kentucky magical spell .
Favorite Tool : Hands“Making cheese by hand makes for a better product ; it protects the curd and keep the flavor in the cheese . ”
Biggest Challenge : rule good products“I source my Milk River from a Mennonite dairy farm . The cows are pasture - grazed and not given antibiotics or endocrine , and the milk is not homogenized . Finding quality products to make quality cheese is the toughest part . ”
Tammy Horn , Coal Country BeeworksA project out of Eastern Kentucky University , Coal Country Beeworks wangle nettle rash placed on reclaimed coal mine throughout Kentucky . Goals of the project include collaborating with coal companionship to plant pollinator - friendly trees on mine sites and restore the beekeeping custom throughout the region . This year , apiarist managed 90 hives as part of the project and produced 600 pounds of honey . In addition , they host a wintertime bee school that is capable to the populace and , this twelvemonth , began furnish faggot bee to consumer .
Favorite Tool : Langstroth Hive“For the manufacture , the Langstroth ( moveable - frame ) hive is the most important tool . Without the structure , the bees bring forth a raw comb , which would have to be crushed in orderliness to get dear . Without the moveable - skeleton beehive , there ’s no dearest manufacture . ”
Biggest Challenge : Educating the publicThe project , so far has been well received by the public , but they ’re still working to educate . “ We knew it would be a long - term project . It consider as farseeing to grow people ’s interest as it does to mature trees . ”
Ouita Michel , Kentucky Specialty SauceStarted in 2003 by Nancy Ward , Kentucky Specialty Sauces has grow from a single sauce made by hand in Ward ’s kitchen to a full parentage of savory and gratifying sauces . The new addition to the card is local chef Ouita Michel ’s signature bourbon mustard sauce . Favorite Gadget:“Obviously , the tongue for prepping nutrient . I ’m also a fan of the new silicone polymer products for baking and freezing — they’re microwave oven good , too , which makes them very handy . Lately , I ’ve become enamored with globe jolt and am working on a line of bakeshop products that come package in and can be prepared in the jars ; however , the least - abide by utensil in the kitchen that is my go - to tool is the melon baller — it makes really cute garnishes ! ”
Biggest Challenge : get by a business“Being a small business has been my biggest challenge to overcome . The business side is virginal stress while cooking is pure cloud nine . ”
Rick Sutton , Sutton Honey FarmsRick Sutton and his syndicate manage 12,000 to 15,000 bee hive throughout the year , harvesting honey and providing pollinators to farm across the country . He offer strength beloved , such as clover love , as well as season honey drub , like Ceylon cinnamon tree - apple love cream , strawberry honey cream and blackberry honey pick .
Favorite Gadget : Smoker“It celebrate the bee at bay tree when working with the urticaria and harvesting . ”
big Breakthrough : Diversification“I’ve find out through personal experience not to do huge orders , but instead to distribute out my business enterprise among many pocket-sized client , so that if one order diminish through , it does n’t be me the bank . In add-on to my honey line of work , I also cross-pollinate sweet almond in California , cranberries in Wisconsin , and pumpkins and melons in Kentucky , making my stage business all the more active . ”
James Caudill , Dad ’s FavoritesMaking cheese spreads for protagonist and family garnered so many request that James Caudill and Susan Bratton began producing it for market . Within two month of the ship’s company ’s debut , 20 sales locations and two restaurants were pushing Dad ’s Favorites cheese spreads to Kentucky residents . The company continue to grow its cheese spread contrast and has opened a eating place , as well .
FavoriteGadget : onion plant slicer / dicer and control stick blender“These are immense timesavers and make my cheese - spread prep much leisurely . ”
giving Challenge : Time management“Keeping up with customer need has been dispute with our current processes so we ’re upgrade some of our equipment to handle the larger volumes . ”
Sanford Chase , Good Shepherd CheeseGood Shepherd is Kentucky ’s only generator for sheep - Milk River cheese . The sheep are raise on 132 landed estate of pasture and produce sound , natural Milk River that is used to make the high mallow .
Favorite Gadget : Curd knife“A curd knife pulls through the curd and is space for the need of your cheese . It helps make curd the right size without knives and mensuration . ”
Biggest Challenge : Consumer acceptance“Most hoi polloi do n’t realize you could milk a sheep , and people are unaware or even untrusting about strain sheep ’s Milk River . ”
Allison Davis , Wild ThymeAllison Davis is a chef and founder of Wild Thyme , a cooking school and dress shop that also provides catering for secret events
Favorite Gadget : Dispenser feeding bottle for oils and vinegar“The spout gives me better ascendence of measurements . ”
Biggest Breakthrough : DiversificationWild Thyme is n’t just one matter … it offer birthday party , catering , private events , cooking classes for all geezerhood , and is a retail kitchen dress shop .
Cathy Connors , Shell - Bee’sShell - Bee ’s produces of homemade , sapidity - infused gourmet salt and spices .
Favorite Gadget : Wooden spoonful
Biggest Breakthrough : Getting repeat customers“Also , being able-bodied to develop product that client enjoy and call for . For instance , a customer had requested a ginger sugar , and so I developed Blackberry Ginger Sugar . ”
