Wisconsin has had a Farm Fresh Atlas for many years that has mainly served central and southern Wisconsin.
UW-SP Treehaven near Tomahawk would like to help people living in the north find where local fresh food is available.
Scott Johnson is the director at Treehaven. He says after a couple of attempts to put together a northern Wisconsin Farm Fresh Atlas came to an end, they decided to put an atlas together.
"...So we led to create a northern Wisconsin farm fresh atlas. It lists farmers that produce local food. It could be anything from vegetables to locally-raised meat, honey, jams, you name it. We're trying to connect farmers with consumers and create more community building, keeping the money rotating within local economies and strengthening those communities..."
Johnson says local producers are in the Atlas...
"...The majority of the organizations are just small, local farmers and business owners who paid $65 to get their organization listed, a paragraph of what they offer and contact information. But then we also sell ads. It's mostly farmers but also a mix of businesses that also support their local communities...."
Johnson says he was surprised to find how many producers and businesses are active in the Northwoods. He says other sections of the state with more active agriculture have had an atlas for years. He says they have 43 listings in the Northern Wisconsin Farm Fresh Atlas using only networking among people.
Johnson says they've dropped the atlas off at area Chambers of Commerce, local businesses that support local food. He says they've printed 20,000 atlas' this first year.
More information is at farmfreshnorthernwi@gmail.com
