T H E C L A C K A M A S P R IN T
| N O V . 19, 20 14
| V O L . 48 IS S U E 6
Horticulture sells to
local restaurant
by Andrew Koczian
n the outskirts of Clackamas Community College is the Clair
m ont building, home to the Horticulture department. Earlier
this summer, CCC horticulture instructor Chris Konieczka
began to form a relationship with a local Buggati’s restaurant,
just minutes away from campus.
son, providing them with storage onions (a cured, long storing yellow onion,) po
tatoes and parsley. That being said, Konieczka expects Bugatti’s to be able to pick up
fresh organic produce weekly in the future. “In the height of the season (May-Oct.)
students harvest every class period,” he said. With those expectations students are
gearing up for a big harvest.
The focus of the relationship was to “give students the oppor
tunity to grow organic produce while somewhat mimicking a real buyer/seller market
for their crop,” said Konieczka. He worked with the managers of the restaurant to
price their produce, matching the weekly prices of competing vendors like Sysco.
With the season gone, students work on repairing their equipment from normal wear
and tear after a harvest, as well as take time to reflect on what changes need to be
made in order to create a more successful harvest. The profit from the sales of produce
goes directly to buying more seeds and repairing equipment. In late January, classes
will begin to plant seedlings to transplant, in preparation for spring. They expect a big
harvest, adding lettuce, carrots, and bok choy to the list of fresh organic produce for
sale.
“Although ideally when you’re selling organic produce, you mark the prices up be
cause the quality is better, but I was more concerned about getting our foot in the door
and starting this relationship for the students,” said Kônieczka.
For Btigatti’s the agreement is just as
exciting. “We’ve posted a few things
on Facebook about our involvement
for our guests. We hope the program
continues to blossom as we further our
involvement,” said Trudy Hoekzma, a
manager at the restaurant. In the fu
ture, Bugatti’s will send the head chef
or manager down the street every week
to buy fresh produce during the har
vesting season. The restaurant prides
itself on having fresh locally grown
produce for its customers.
The farm is located on campus directly
behind the Clairmont building, mak
ing it easy for students in the program
to work on their crops. “I’m really ex
cited for this program to be in full
swing,” Konieczka said. “Before this
relationship with Bugattis, the produce
we grew was sold at the CCC Farmers
Market, but other than that, all the ex
tras went to students and staff. With
this added incentive, we have the op
portunity to grow more types of pro
duce in higher volume.”
Because this relationship was such a
recent agreement, the classes were only
able to sell to Bugatti’s twice this sea
Chris Konieczka helps the Food Harvest class get ready fo r the CCC farmers' market on Oct. 1. Produce from CCC
gardens was also sold to Bugattis this fall.