031 Carryout in COVID Series: Pivoting, Partnering, Providing with Emma Jagoz of Moon Valley Farms

Introduction

Between Thursday of one week and Tuesday of the following week, Emma Jagoz, owner and farmer at Moon Valley Farms, completely pivoted her business. One week 100% of her produce was serving the best restaurants in the Baltimore, DC, and Frederick areas. By the next week, she had opened her CSA early to provide fresh, safe food to her local community AND, by partnering with local organizations, she was also supplying shares to out-of-work restaurant workers. If this sounds amazing to you, as it did to me, consider that with 2 kids under the age of 2, Emma started this farm in her parents backyard, growing it over the last 9 years to serve up to 100 local restaurants and 250 CSA members. Emma makes a habit of doing great things… and the best thing, is that she invites us to do them with her.

Highlights

Starting with 2 children 2 and under
From a backyard plot to serving 100 restaurants and 250 CSA members
All injustice boils down to food access
Pivoting over a weekend from 100% restaurant sales to open the CSA early
New procedures to keep employees and customers safe
Partnering with her community and organizations to provide shares to out-of-work restaurant workers

Listen to Emma Now

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About the Carryout in COVID Series

Of all the conflicting information we’re receiving these days, I’m having the most difficulty reconciling the call to support small, local businesses with the command to stay home as much as possible. Can I support small restaurants without contributing to the spread of the virus? I felt the best way to answer this question was to hear the stories of businesses in crisis and ask THEM my questions. A variety of guests including owners, farmers, and journalists, are participating in this series, so make sure you check back to get a new perspective each day.