Erie Fresh

Our Mission

It is our mission to increase accessibility to safe, locally grown, nutritious food and to increase knowledge about responsible resource management for the inclusive benefit of those who visit, work and live in Erie County and the surrounding regions, for this generation and the generations to come.

Erie Fresh is organized to conduct programs involving the collective wisdom of pastoral, horticultural, agricultural and environmental leaders in our area, in order to encourage cooperation between the surrounding communities, their respective organizations and members to provide services that preserve resources and heritage while educating the succeeding generations on the benefits and values of sustainability which are defined as social and environmental responsibility and economic viability.

Sustainable Development

When most regions think of growth, much attention is placed on bottom-line economics. While traditional policies are meant to bring in businesses to create jobs, difficult times can cause us to overlook simple, effective solutions that would give us a better quality of life. Inspired by the potential of Erie County and its surrounding communities, Erie Fresh is uniting with like-minded friends and neighbors in order to bring awareness to some of our area’s most worthwhile resources in order to stimulate the local economy, preserve our environment and instill a greater sense of cultural pride in our heritage in citizens young and old.

2010 Season

The Erie County Coalition for Local Resources (ECCLR) is involved with a variety of decision making areas within our community. Along with our trade name – Erie Fresh – we work with other non-profit, for profit and governmental entities to design, execute and implement programs that help create a stronger presence of sustainability for our community.

If it’s in your interest to start taking an active role in environmental issues – namely building a sustainable ethic with the environment at the forefront of decision making – ECCLR can help to get you involved with creating a better livelihood for the environment and the people who live amongst it. We are a passionate and driven group with long-term goals in mind. The list below illustrates the fields ECCLR shares an active role with:

Biodiversity | Agriculture | Arts & Culture | Regenerative Design

  • Erie Metroparks – the Erie Metroparks plays a key role in providing space where people can interact with the environment. ECCLR helps to promote the Metroparks and works with them on a path to sustainability.
  • Prairie Strips – Prairie Strips is a phenomenon developed by the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture (http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/research/eco_files/ground.html) to allow farmers to plant traditional commodities in a system that minimizes the amount of environmental impact. Prairie Strips at the Leopold Center have been used to successfully build soil in a series of crop rotations, and are being researched to explain why yields are proving to be a success when implementing this practice. ECCLR is working on a coalition of Farmers who can find implementing prairie strips an advantage for their farms.
  • Watershed Restoration – working with the Friends of Pipe Creek Watershed and the Erie Soil & Water county office we are interested in restoring wetlands, building back spawning grounds and reducing harmful runoffs.
  • Create Publishable Work w/ Bottom Dog Press – the Erie County Coalition shares a close relationship with Bottom Dog Press, and our work is recorded for the purpose of publishing in the near future. Your work could be a part in the larger chapter on sustainability.
  • Promote Local Artists/Artisans – culture is the cornerstone within a community and we work to preserve and promote those who take an active role in unveiling their creations. Our actions help to integrate art and culture to community gardens, restaurants and more.
  • ECCLR Sustainable Certification – The ECCLR Sustainable certification is a parent symbol to a trifold of recognized criteria that works to ensure sustainable methods for the overall creation of a product. ECCLR Sustainable, and its parts, are organized by the nonprofit – Erie County Coalition for Local Resources (ECCLR). All areas of materials used for the creation of a product, be it handling, production, shipping, etc…, are inspected and documented for the ECCLR labeling.
  • Zero Waste – participating in education about waste control and management. By working hands-on with the Erie Solid Waste management you’ll develop an intimate understanding of the steps necessary to implement a city-to-county wide zero waste program.
  • Sustainability Major – ECCLR is participating in talks to see the likelihood of developing a Sustainability Major at BGSU Firelands campus.
  • Permaculture – Permaculture is an approach to designing human settlements and perennial agricultural systems that mimic the relationships found within natural ecologies. It was first developed by Australians Bill Mollison and David Holmgren and their associates during the 1970s in a series of publications. The word permaculture is a portmanteau of permanent agriculture, as well as permanent culture.
  • Permaculture design is recognized internationally, by countries and corporations alike, as a viable and pragmatic solution for self-reliant communities to decrease dependence on fossil fuels and decrease risks of energy and food crises in a changing world. It also acts to restore resources, sequester carbon, and protect human health from post-industrial damage to the environment.
  • Both cofounders of ECCLR/Erie Fresh were Permaculture Design Certified through the New Agrarian Center in Oberlin, Ohio, by Australian Permaculturist Darren Doherty, who is one of the world’s most experienced Permaculture Design professionals and a registered PDC Teacher who has designed and developed over 1100 properties across 5 continents.
  • Aquaculture – Chinampa Systems – Chinampas are a type of ancient Mesoamerican agricultural system that maximizes the amount of edge production available to a specific area. It is widely observed that edges along bodies of water host the most activity for species, and is often used to maximize a harvest. They’re success relies on areas where water is plentiful and fluctuates with wind patterns. A Chinampa can be used to harvest fish or in crop production, or both.
  • Erie County is home to a majority of wetland habitats that have turned to agricultural use. A permaculture technique to maximize the possibility of regenerative design would include a Chinampan system amongst crop production that could serve as a fertilizing agent, as well as producer of fish and water for crops. The ECCLR will take an active role with any effort to test the Chinampan design in our area.
  • Rain Gardens/Swales – trying to control combined sewer overflow problems and wastewater is a serious environmental issue for all cities. We work to establish Rain Gardens and build swale systems for all projects (this includes offering xeriscaping designs for urban agricultural plots).
  • Public Park Designs – ECCLR has outlined a Public Park Proposal that we actively engage in expressing at public meetings and use to help foster ideas for the areas public park system.
  • Urban Agriculture – is an unavoidable step for economic sovereignty, a different way for driven individuals to get use of vacant land, a way to restore inactive industrial sites, unearth old gardens and revitalize neighborhoods.
  • Community Gardens – we implement community gardens throughout Sandusky. Our main garden acts to serve the area soup kitchens and propagate plants as well as ideas for other gardens.
  • Grow A Row Programs – within the city are community gardens that facilitate “grow a row” programs, which allow residents to obtain a plot for the purpose of growing vegetables. Each plot is maintained by residents according to guidelines provided by ECCLR.
  • Farm Tours – if and when groups, organizations or individuals are interested in our farming community, ECCLR (with Erie Fresh) will align tours to help foster a greater interest in sustainable agriculture.
  • Sandusky Farmers Market – partnering with the market to setup for farmers each week, helping to advertise the market and manage a WordPress website for the market.

Erie Fresh

  • Firelands Watershed Produce & Meat Program – coordinating a produce and meat supply for area restaurants with Farmers from the Firelands Watershed who are involved in an ECCLR sustainable certification.
  • Erie Fresh CSA – supplying organically grown produce to Erie County residents who invest in Farmers from the Firelands Watershed. The Erie Fresh CSA is a multi-grower CSA that works with eight (8) Farms and provides seven (7) different types of shares: fruit and vegetable, pasture raised eggs, breads, cut flowers, meats, grain and low-income shares. We coordinate the supply of each share by partnering with the Sandusky Farmers Market; managing the individual accounts of each farm; and marketing the CSA within the county. (Working on farms can be an option for interns through the CSA)

Internships Available for 2010

Our 2009 Focus: Local Food & Biodiversity

Ohio’s largest industry is Agribusiness and Food Processing. Ohioans spend $35 billion per year on food with only 2% of it actually produced in Ohio. Capturing just 10% of that market for Ohio growers and producers would mean $3.5 billion of additional income for the state.  Erie County is made up of 50% agriculturally zoned land. For every dollar spent on locally grown food direct from the farmer, the money recirculates here up to 7 times.

Our seasonal tourism industry has the potential to support every farmer in Erie County!

Contribute to the 2009 Season

We are helping to initiate several programs to showcase the bountiful harvest that is possible in our area due to the lake effect and ideal soil conditions.

Erie Fresh CSA – Buy farm fresh produce, eggs and more directly from these Erie growers and save up to 50% on your grocery bills!

Community Food Gardens – Delicious and nutritious while adding to the beauty of a community near you!

Biodiversity - Erie Fresh gathered information and presented it to the Erie Metroparks about how to reduce the amount of chemical use for controlling invasive species, and outlined more sustainable alternatives that the parks could undertake.

While monetary donations are greatly appreciated, we are also looking for volunteers and materials. If you need to get rid of old yard equipment, want to help plant a community garden or would like to send us a monetary gift, please use our contact information below.

Erie Fresh

2350 Cleveland Road

Sandusky, Ohio 44870