Who doesn’t love a good, and somewhat completely random, food holiday? Well, put on a bib for this one—the ENTIRE month of February is National Potato Lovers Month. Who knew?
Our Food Connects team is excited to celebrate—and not just because we have an excuse to eat piles of tater tots and mountains of mashed potatoes. We’ve recently partnered with Chappelle’s Vermont Potatoes to sell their potatoes to local institutions. It is truly a mash made in heaven.
Chappelle’s, based in Williamstown, VT has been in business for over 40 years. Interestingly enough, Chappelle's Potato Farm has its roots in the pick-your-own business. Now, the farm resides on over 120 acres and primarily sells over 18 varieties of potatoes to wholesale purchasers. Rotating their crop to a different 50 acres each year, they produce over 1.5 million potatoes annually.
But why is Food Connects so excited to welcome a new potato vendor to the team? Believe it or not, local institutions are always clamoring for a good deal on local potatoes. They are frequently on the menus for schools and hospitals—mashed, baked, fried, or au gratin. And our partner co-ops love to stock potatoes throughout the colder months.
Chappelle’s retail packs at the Brattleboro Food Co-op.
From Brattleboro Memorial Hospital to the Kurn Hatin Homes, to Grace Cottage, Chappelle’s potatoes are a hit. The Academy School and Hinsdale schools are stocking up on potatoes for their students. Both the Monadnock Food Co-op and Brattleboro Food Co-op have stocked their produce isles with this local favorite. And even VT Dinners is using Chappelle’s potatoes in their frozen dinners.
“We absolutely love the Chappelle’s potatoes,” said Ali West of Fresh Picks Café and Food Service Director for the Brattleboro Town Schools. “They are extremely affordable, come in clean, and when we used them for our chili rubbed oven fries the kids go crazy for them. Thanks to Food Connects we are able to source yet another great local product that hits all the buttons for us—taste, convenience, and affordability!”
We’re so excited to support local farmers and help local institutions invest back into our community. And make sure that you stop by Chappelle’s during their annual pick-your-own potato day to support your local farmer!