Launched in 2011 with a goal of nurturing a more self-reliant, democratic, and community-focused food system, Crooked Carrot Farm is local food processing business that makes fresh, fermented, and shelf-stable products from fresh ingredients sourced from farms within 50 miles of Ithaca. To support local farms, Crooked Carrot co-packs products for farmers with extra produce and offers consulting and educational services to help grow the local food movement. Through its partnership with Youth Farm Project’s Fresh Snack Program, Crooked Carrot also works with over 20 local farms to coordinate the sourcing and preparation of two fresh produce snacks a week for over 1,200 students—an effort credited with creating a market for 3,000 pounds of new produce sales a year for local farmers. In 2017, Crooked Carrot itself processed over 30,000 pounds of local produce.