TCEDC does work in the community related to many of the commonwealth assets. It would be impossible to touch on every aspect in 250 words so I will briefly mention a couple examples and then move on to the main part of the post. TCEDC helps to protect what commonwealth we have as well as add to it. There are several commonwealth assets that TCEDC works with, such as: education (through the FSOP and other classes), history (by preserving traditional practices especially with food), and sense of place (tying where we are now to where we fit in in the bigger picture, and where we are going in the future.) This work is all very important to the directors Pati and Terrie, however there is one commonwealth asset that earns the “top spot” with TCEDC. If you know anything about TCEDC then you will not be surprised to hear that the main commonwealth asset for TCEDC is foodshed.
TCEDC has had several food based programs over the course of its existence. From educating people on how to start their own food business through the FSOP classses, to providing a commercial kitchen to be used by such businesses, TCEDC is committed to local food production and protecting traditional food practices. Another example of TCEDC’s commitment to local food is the community garden/greenhouses. TCEDC grows a number of varieties of vegetables such as squash, tomatos, and carrots to name a few. A mobile livestock slaughtering unit known as the Mobile Matanza is another example of this commitment. Although the Matanza has not been operating for the past couple of years there are plans to bring it back in the future as it is a very useful service for many local ranchers. TCEDC’s commitment to foodshed as well as the other commonwealth assets make it a place I’m proud to have interned for.
