Cabot Creamery Cooperative has partnered with Rising Tide Co-op’s Loving Local Meals program, donating cheddar for a macaroni and cheese meal served the week of March 22nd, enabling the program to purchase more local product from other farms. Loving Local Meals started as a way to expand the Coop’s contributions to food pantries as well as keep kitchen staff at Rising Tide employed when the hot bar had to shut down, due to pandemic restrictions. Since the spring of 2020, the program has provided more than 12,000 meals to food pantries in Boothbay, Jefferson, Newcastle, New Harbor, Waldoboro and Wiscasset.

Loving Local is a win-win for the local community and economy, by supporting food pantries and investing in local farms. The program’s goal is to provide community members in need with food that is sourced from small local producers, as much as possible. Every week, kitchen staff and a group of volunteers cook and pack 300 healthy, hot meals for partnering food pantries. A regular stream of donations for the program has allowed Rising Tide to purchase product from local farmers. Thanks to the generosity of community members, Rising Tide has been able to source a third of ingredients from nearby farms for all the meals prepared, so far. General Manager, Heather Burt, says Rising Tide’s commitment to local farms and community support is fundamental to the co-op’s existence.

“An important emphasis of Rising Tide’s purpose is to support our community through the development of a strong local food economy. By collaborating with a network of partners to create positive impacts for our neighbors and the broader environment, we are helping lead the way toward more sustainable and just food and environmental choices.” said, Burt.

The Mainers behind Cabot

Recognizing the important role dairy farmers play in Maine and New England’s communities and economy is why Rising Tide approached Cabot Creamery Cooperative about collaborating on a Loving Localmeal. Loving Local’s dual commitment to the local community and economy is what made the partnership such a strong collaboration.

Flood Brothers Farm, a member of Cabot Cooperative Creamery, is a third-generation farm in Clinton, on Penobscot territory lands and is one of 69 Cabot dairy farms in Maine. Dairy farms make a significant impact on their communities and the state’s economy by employing thousands of workers and patronizing businesses that support their daily operations. Jenni Tilton-Flood understands the importance of a strong local food system in supporting the working lands businesses that have an economic multipliereffect. She also understands the importance of gratitude and giving back.

“As a Cabot Dairy Farm we know how important being a part of our community is, not just for our business, but for our neighbours and all of our futures. When we find ways to give back, like collaborating in business to help those in need, we know we are living up to our principles as a B Corp, a Co-operative, and as members of the community”, says Tilton-Flood.

Tilton-Flood was excited to hear about this partnership because she has been a volunteer for her local food pantry, and this project brought together her two biggest passions- serving others and helping people understand how dairy farms contribute to the community.

The impact of Maine’s local food economy is huge. In 2020, Rising Tide purchased nearly $2 million in Maine products (which includes more than $500,000 in produce from local farmers) and is committed to continuing to grow the amount of local food they offer to further increase that impact.

• If you want to learn more about Cabot Cooperative’s farm families, visit: https://www.cabotcheese.coop/our-farm-families/

• To learn more about Rising Tide’s Loving Local Meals Program, visit: https://risingtide.coop/loving-local-meals/