Cook County is set to make history with the launch of the nation’s first stand-alone community Food Equipment Library on August 15th. This unique library, located at the Cook County Community Center in Grand Marais, is a membership-based institution operating under the Northwoods Food Project umbrella.
The Northwoods Food Project is a nonprofit organization dedicated to connecting, growing, and supporting a sustainable local food system in Cook County, from farm to fork. It has a vision that local farmers and food producers can access land, knowledge, skills, and support to provide food locally.
The Project is a key partner in launching the Grand Marais Farmers Market at the Cook County Community Center parking lot. They support programs to make the market accessible to all, allowing customers to utilize supplemental nutrition programs such as SNAP, Minnesota WIC, and Power of Produce, matching SNAP benefits to increase buying power for local foods.
The organization has a history of incubating and supporting community gardens. They started four community gardens in Grand Marais and, in 2023, served as a fiscal sponsor for a new community garden in Tofte. Collectively, these gardens offer over 75 plots for community members to cultivate.
The library will have an inventory of 30 pieces of equipment, including fruit picker poles, harvest baskets, food dehydrators, and fruit and wine presses. These tools are essential for local food production and can be reserved by members on the Northwoods Food Project website at northwoodsfoodproject.org/.
Kate Cowie-Haskell, the Project Director, will oversee the equipment library. She joined Northwoods in May of this year. A priority, after getting the library off the ground, will be fundraising to assist growers and food processors that have financial challenges.
Northwoods, in a testament to its community-centric approach, conducted a survey last year to identify the needs of community members in enhancing local food production. The Northwoods board used the survey results to acquire the equipment for the library, with canning equipment and fruit presses topping the list of needs.
Kate has set up the systems to run the library, ensuring it is accessible to all. Its website is user-friendly, and patrons may use the equipment for up to a week. The equipment will be stored and maintained at the Community Center, and patrons can pick up and return items during Community Center hours, which are 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday.
To become a patron, you need a membership. The process is simple. You can sign up for a Basic membership for just $10 per year, which allows you to pay full rental fees of $5 to $25 per item. Upgrade to the $35 per year Upgraded membership, and you’ll get 50% off rental fees. For those who want to support the library fully, the $ 100-per-year Sustaining Membership offers free rentals. You can easily sign up for a membership at www.northwoodsfoodproject.org/.
Kate is fundraising to sustain the Food Equipment For All Fund. Folks needing financial assistance have Kate on their side. “We hope to offer free membership and free rentals to community members who need it,” she said. The Northwoods website’s donation page is where you can help support this project.
For more information, you can reach Kate by email at info@northwoodsfoodproject.org or by calling 218-387-3015.
