Salsa to replace tobacco on Kentucky family farm By: By Tim Thornberry Submitted: 9/5/2004
Carla McDowell and Belinda Neff at McDowell Farms
As children, sisters Carla McDowell and Belinda Neff learned the art of canning vegetables at the side of their mother on the family farm. Now, as parents and grandparents the two are learning the art of canning business in the spirit of their mother. The two have found a place in the salsa market, which started a few years ago as a way of treating their family and friends. Their salsa has become a new venture that not only has the potential to replace lost tobacco revenue on the McDowell farm but surrounding farms as well. “As children, our parents had some acreage and raised a large garden,” McDowell said. “Our mother taught us to freeze or can everything. She canned beans, beets, sauerkraut, pickles, relishes, apple butter, jellies, tomato juice and tomatoes. You name it we put it into a jar or froze it.” The unexpected death of their mother two years ago brought McDowell and Neff into the kitchen as a way to work through their grief. It was then they began to discuss, in a joking manner, how they would become known all over the country for their salsa. Toward the end of the summer, local extension agent Debra Cotterill entered the picture after trying the product and suggesting the two market it. “At the time we just couldn’t see ourselves doing that, especially since all we could think about was our mom,” said McDowell. Cotterill was persistent; however, and finally convinced the sisters to try their hand at selling their homemade salsa. With last year’s passage of state legislation easing restrictions on home-based food processing, the door opened for the two to become Kentucky’s first home-based microprocessors. While this created the opportunity for the “Salsa Sisters,” as they are now known, to sell at local farmer’s markets or from the farm, restrictions still capped the annual income that could be made and the places where the product could be sold. In order to expand, the next step would be a certified commercial kitchen and commercial licensing. Kentucky’s Agricultural Development Board (ADB) figured prominently in this step with a $56,000 grant that covered half of the kitchen construction cost. The remainder was financed through private bank loans. The ADB regulates funds commonly referred to as Phase I funds which are part of a settlement reached between tobacco producing states and the top four major cigarette manufacturers. “This project is a perfect example of how ag development funds work,” said Keith Edwards, executive director of the Governor’s Office of Ag Policy. “There is an entrepreneurial spirit here in tobacco dependent county where local products will be used and an example set for years to come.” As part of the agreement with the ADB, McDowell Farms Salsa will have to be made mostly from the tomatoes of area farms, which has prompted them to buy from farms in the surrounding counties. A farmer in neighboring Robertson County will deliver 400 pounds of home-grown tomatoes before the end of June. Construction on the new 30-foot by 30-foot kitchen, which is located next to the McDowell home, was started in December. The kitchen was dedicated with a ribbon cutting ceremony on June 21with many state and local officials, family and friends in attendance. While addressing the crowd, Neff tearfully remembered her mother and thanked her for their “love to dig in the dirt.” Of course plenty of food and a variety of salsa was served after the ceremony, along with a tour of the new facility. Last years production reached 2,000 jars, but with the new kitchen, production is expected to skyrocket. “We would like to see 16,000 jars this coming year,” said David McDowell, Carla’s husband. “We have a great potential to make up lost tobacco revenue and would like to eventually expand into other similar products like spaghetti sauce and pepper jelly.” The coming months will bring plenty of work ot the sisters especially since they both work other jobs; McDowell is a first grade teacher and Neff is a director of surgery at a nearby regional medical center. But the rewards are worth it. “Now we talk about shipping salsa all over the country and being on Oprah,” said Neff with a laugh. “In the beginning we joked about what could be but now after seeing this happen, anything is possible.” McDowell Farms can be reached at 606-728-2433
Peach Pepper Jelly Cheese Spread On July 30 and 31 the Salsa Sister were at the 2010 Ballon Race in Maysville, KY. There they introduced a new cheese spread recipe featuring their Peach Jalapeno Jelly. Several people asked for the recipe and here it is!
Salsa to replace tobacco on Kentucky family farm As children, sisters Carla McDowell and Belinda Neff learned the art of canning vegetables at the side of their mother on the family farm. Now, as parents and grandparents the two are learning the art of canning business in the spirit of their mother.
