Three local producers received micro-loans totaling $12,000 from the Chequamegon Food Co-op to help with farm projects through the winter and into spring. Micro-loan recipients for the Spring 2022 loan cycle are as follows:
- Suri Fina Alpaca Farm, owned by Abigail Klema. The awarded micro-loan funds will be going toward building and insulating a room for growing micro-greens. Abigail is purchasing Great Oak Farm’s micro-green operation, as Chris Duke moves on to other ventures. Abigail will fill Chris’s current market and increase customer base with her own farm’s spring CSA and farm store.
- Seeds of Wellbeing, owned by Erica Macrum. Erica is opening an apothecary downtown Washburn and is using funds to build a commercial kitchen. The apothecary will help support local herbalists in getting their products to the public. Specifically, the kitchen will allow Erica and other herbalists to legally package their products for wholesale.
- Angel Acres Farm, owned by the McCutchen family. They will be using funds to purchase certified organic hay. They raise cattle to produce grass-fed organic beef for the Chequamegon Bay.