NEXT STEP

NC Food & Drug Protection Division Start here with basics from the NCDA&CS. ncagr.gov/fooddrug/food/homebiz.htm

NC State Extension –  Food Business

Got To Be NC

As a producer, you can become a member! gottobenc.com

NC Specialty Foods Association

This volunteer organization is dedicated to assisting NC specialty foods companies. ncspecialtyfoods.org

If you plan to run with grandma’s pickles, salsa or your BBQ sauce, you need to contact NC State University’s testing department. Some acidified foods may require testing, and you may need to attend NC State’s Acidified Foods Manufacturing School, an FDA-recognized online course, to produce them.

DO YOU HAVE A BUSINESS PLAN?

All adventures need a map to get you where you want to go. Be sure to include a marketing plan. You could have the next best food thing there is, but if folks don’t know of it, success will be a struggle. Not allocating money for marketing is often a new business’s biggest mistake! Find particulars needed for your plan on the NCDA&CS site referenced in the sidebar. Also, be sure you have proper liability insurance before selling your first morsel!

ARE YOU WELL-VERSED IN LABELING REQUIREMENTS?

You have several entity-specific requirements to consider when labeling your food. The FDA sits atop this list with specifics (from ingredients to weights) right on down to local regulators, retail outlets and farmers’ markets that allow you to sell.

ARE YOU READY?

Once your application is submitted and you’ve had a successful inspection, you’re on your way to sharing your best to the world. Be sure to join #GotToBeNC and consider joining the NC Specialty Foods Association (ncspecialtyfoods.org).

As the Association’s Marketing Coordinator Sherry Barefoot will tell you, “So many of our members since the Association’s creation in 1994 started their food businesses in homecertified kitchens, and now work with commercial kitchens and copackers to mass produce their tasty visions.”

Although it may sound daunting, don't be discouraged. With the right tools and knowledge, you can have your home kitchen up and running soon.

Carolina Country recipe contributor, Wendy Perry, is a culinary adventurist who wears many aprons, including coaching those through the process of getting a home kitchen certified. Learn more at WendyPerry.com and AuntDeeDeesKitchen.com

CONNECT WITH Carolina Country

Save While You’re Away on Vacation

Are you planning a fun getaway this summer? Before you hit the road, sky or sea, there are a few things you can do around your home to help you save on electricity costs while you’re gone. Just think of the souvenirs you can buy with the money you’ll save!

• Set a schedule for your thermostat: If you have a smart thermostat, set it to vacation mode to override your normal cooling schedule. Then, set it to turn back to your normal schedule on the day you arrive home so it’s comfortable when you get back.

• Close the blinds and curtains: Keep the sunlight out of your home by lowering the blinds and drawing the curtains before you head out of town.

• Turn down the water heater: Make sure you aren’t paying to heat water you won’t use while you’re away. By turning down the temperature on your water heater you can reduce the amount of electricity used to heat water you won’t be there to use.

• Unplug devices and turn off power strips: Before you leave, turn off and unplug any devices that won’t be used while you’re gone to prevent phantom loads. This includes big devices like TVs, but don’t forget about smaller items like phone chargers, coffee makers and electric toothbrush chargers as well. If you have things plugged into power strips, turn those off too.

• Put lights on timers: If you have smart light switches, put them on a timer so they turn on and off while you’re gone to make it look like someone’s home. Otherwise, you’ll want to turn off any unnecessary lights before you go.

For more great tips visit pemc.coop/energy-saving-tips today!

IMPORTANT DATES

July A peak demand month

As temperatures rise, so does energy use. Be mindful to conserve energy where you can during hot weekday hours from 1-6 p.m.

July 4

Independence Day

Piedmont Electric offices will be closed and employees will be on call.

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Are You in Need of Energy Assistance?

If you need help paying your electricity bill, there are assistance programs available to you like the Crisis Intervention Program (CIP). This federally funded program assists individuals and families who are having a heating or cooling-related crisis.

Applications for the program open on July 1, 2023, and run through June 30, 2024, or until the CIP allocation is exhausted. To learn more about this program and other energy assistance options, please visit pemc.coop/payment-assistance