Localized Food
A fun night at the Co-op as their first of many community Pot Lucks. The Co-op is growing! Thanks Catherine / Catdodge Photography for lovely photos!
We're pleased to say Philmont Beautification, Inc completed this extensive site redevelopment project in March 2018, turning a former gas station convenience store into a local food market and a food truck outdoor cafe. Thanks to all who made this possible - your gifts of time, funding, and resources will keep on giving helping to create a local living economy and a local food system!
The state-of-the-art commercial processing kitchen is equipped to handle everything from bread bakers and jam makers to meals-to-go or full-scale catering events. Highlights of the equipment includes 16ft of commercial hoods, a 10-burner Vulcan restaurant range and ovens, a double stack gas convection oven, 40-quart floor model commercial mixer, bakers’ proofing equipment, 3-bay and 2-bay stainless steel sinks, dry and cold food storage, a freezer walk-in, an 8 door wall display walk-in cooler, 300 gallon outdoor grease trap, and 21 ft of custom built stainless steel prep tables for individual use.
“Opening the Philmont Co-op commercial kitchen offers local producers and food entrepreneurs a co-working rental opportunity at well below-market rates. There’s excitement out there judging from the high number of calls we’ve been receiving. It’s great that PBI made it to the finish line of extensive building renovations and getting our Ag and Markets permits approved for the kitchen to start operating,” Elizabeth Angello, President of the Philmont Co-op, said in March 2018.
PBI would like to take a moment to thank the community in Philmont and neighbors, donors, state funding agencies, foundations, the many volunteers, and the many hired contractors who helped make this project a reality providing the Philmont Cooperative the opportunity to be the anchor business and extending the opportunity to local farmers, producers, educators, cooperative partners, and consumers.
Placing the kitchen at the core of community food
Turning the Philmont Farmers Market into a seven-day hub of local food Philmont Cooperative!
Philmont Market Co-op as the anchor food business providing small business opportunities for its Producer owner-members as a producer/consumer cooperative. Creating a sustainable 30 mile wheel of local farms and emerging food businesses serving the Philmont community with year-round fresh foods, a commercial kitchen, bakery, retail areas, and a cafe.
- A local food service individually designed to meet participants' needs and use of the kitchen equipment, prepping areas, and cold storage, operated by the Philmont Co-op as the anchor business, including:
- Shared-use food processing space available at below-market cost rates
- Fully equipped commercial kitchen licensed to meet NYS Ag & Markets, and Columbia County Department of Health standards
- Adequate dry, cooler, and freezing storage space
- Vegetable prepping and packaging area for frozen products
- Retail display areas and vending opportunities
- Product supply to the Co-op Cafe
- Coordination with chefs, caterers, & special events ordering product from Co-op Producers
Contact: Elizabeth Angello, President of the Philmont Co-op 518 672 7673 or by email at philmontmarket@gmail.com to schedule an appointment to view the kitchen/Co-op, schedule to use the commercial kitchen, and discuss becoming an owner-member. .
Kids Grow and Cook program 
Thank you Leanne for your support of our kitchen and kids programming!
Leanne's brilliant cookbook is creating it's own food revolution teaching how to eat healthy on a tight budget.
The Kids Grow and Cook program bringing children and families together in The Kitchen and in Annabel's Garden created as a Girl Scout Gold Award project in 2014.
2020 garden update to Annabel's Victory Garden, as a teaching garden: In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, PBI decided that now was the time to expand Annabel's garden. The small garden was originated in 2014 by the Girl Scouts Troop 1800 as a Gold Award project initiated by Annabel ONeill, a 14 year old resident of Philmont at the time.
Annabel had constructed a small garden consisting of three raised beds and conducted a season of free garden workshops aimed at teaching children how to grow vegetables, culminating in a celebration with a free harvest dinner for the community in late August.
PBI had always intended to sustain this remarkable project accomplished in collaboration with such a young and forward thinking village resident. With the unprecedented event of Covid-19, it presented the right time to expand Annabel’s 2014 garden by constructing eighteen raised beds and a major 1600sq ft lattice fenced, beautiful and quiet enclosed garden, to be able for PBI to continue Annabel’s stated goals for a safe teaching garden….
"to have more children learning where food comes from and how to grow your own food. Where children can learn about the right kinds of food, and how to grow the vegetables by themselves. I want kids eating right—planting, growing, tending, harvesting, cooking, and eating fresh produce." (Annabel ONeill garden journal 2014.)
With the funding assistance of the Hudson River Bank and Trust Co, the garden was designed by PBI and constructed by Taylor Kurtz, hired by PBI as the lead gardener. The garden started its teaching program and free community harvests in early August in partnership with the Philmont Co-op's Equitable Food Access group, The Sylvia Center providing kids' and families cooking classes, and with the Philmont Library who hosted a free community cooler at the library.
Annabel's Victory Garden programming is based on Annabel's journals and workshops from 2014. PBI is currently in process of publishing a book with the story of Annabel's garden that will be released in the spring of 2021. Thank you Annabel!, you laid the path for all of us to follow to move a little closer to community resiliency through local food.
