In 2005, when we first formed LACE, our intention was to run a small non-profit that would provide a commons for farmers and community members to meet one another, exchange information and foods, and celebrate local culture together. We envisioned part of this commons to be a seasonally stocked market with only farm fresh foods and value-added products made from locally sourced foods, and a cafe with a limited menu that show-cased the freshest ingredients in the region.

LACE found it's home in the former Homer Fitts building in Downtown Barre, a 10,000 sq ft retail store. The procurement of this space launched us to grow much faster than we originally intended. This has been both exciting and beneficial, as well as, challenging and even detrimental to our future. We incurred a huge overhead with the large space to power, heat, cool and staff. In 2006, because the retail side of our space was so large, the IRS required that we separate our market and cafe from the non-profit. Thus, Farm Fresh Market & Cafe was born. This has been our achilles heal. Suddenly, we were forced to compromise some of the modest ideals of LACE's mission for the retail in order to make the for-profit model work.

Our hearts and intentions have always stayed devoted to the mission of supporting the growth of and access to local foods in our community. Now, in our 5th year it is time that we gather all our time and energy to re-focus. To do this, we must also seek additional support from our friends, colleagues and neighbors. We will need to dig deep to get us through this period of transition. Ways that YOU can help:

• Get Involved, volunteer one hour a week, or more. We can use help with a variety of tasks, including: cleaning, phones, kitchen work, flyer distribution.
• Spread the word. Find out what LACE is all about and then tell everyone you know!
• Click on the "Donate Now" button on the top left corner of the screen. No amount is too great or too small!
• Tell all your friends to click on the "Donate Now" button!

By strengthening the relationship between people and their local foods and farms, LACE aims to boost local economy, conserve local farmland, increase the community's health and create unity within the community.

As Ralph Waldo Emerson said "Nothing is secure but life, transition, the energizing spirit.”

$5 pays for 1 hour of gas use in LCK cooking
$20 keeps kitchen rags stocked and laundered for a week
$36 buys one case of greens from a local farm for LACE to process in the LCK
$100 will help cover staff costs
$350 helps provide start-up scholarship for new LACE Community Kitchen vendors
$500 pays for one at-risk youth to complete a 6-month training program in the LCK
$1,000 will close the gap on our rental expense that will, in 6 months, be met by kitchen user fees and other program income streams.
$5,000 would allow us to hire an Americorp member for 10 months full time work
$15,000 would buy a steam kettle to process farm veggies for value-added products