Sustainability: Our Employee Garden

As a part of the global Freudenberg family, we like to take any steps we can to give back to our community and the planet, too. That mission not only applies inside our facility, but reaches far and wide outside it as well. However, one of our favorite projects can be found right outside our kitting and distribution operation, in our own backyard.

In 2016, we were presented with an opportunity to join with a local farm, The Chef's Garden, to make a difference in a new way: the installation of an employee garden. In this post, we'll share the Chef's Garden story and how Freudenberg and the TransTec brand got involved to support our team and our community.

The Chef's Garden and Sustainable Farming

As a family farm for over thirty years, The Chef's Garden, based in Huron, Ohio, has operated under the guidance of Bob Jones, Sr., Lee Jones, and Bob Jones, Jr., making the most of the fertile soil surrounding Lake Erie. Originally, the Jones family sold their produce at farmer's markets and their own farm stand. However, in the 1980s, a hailstorm threatened crop yields and forced the Jones family to start considering their options. Around the same time, Lee Jones met a chef who asked if the farm could grow squash blossoms for her restaurant. This request, as it turned out, sparked a new idea that just kept on growing.

The Jones family decided to reimagine their farm into The Chef's Garden, a fully sustainable model with both professional and home chefs in mind. By shifting their focus from quantity to quality, The Chef's Garden is able to provide nutritious, "Earth to table" vegetables in multiple sought-after varieties. By using a blend of innovative technology and traditional farming techniques, The Chef's Garden has garnered national attention and a treasured place in the Erie County community.

The Employee Garden Today

So, where does Freudenberg connect to the Chef's Garden story? 

Freudenberg owns the land surrounding our facility, and we lease that land to farmers. In 2016, the previous farmer retired, and the lease was opened up to new renters. The Chef's Garden expressed interest in renting the land, and we learned more about the farm's mission and values. As part of the negotiations for renting, The Chef's Garden offered to provide a vegetable garden for our use in the rental agreement.

By 2017, the company was able to offer the garden for use by employees and their immediate families for the very first time. The Chef's Garden plants, weeds, and maintains the garden until the vegetables are ripe for harvest. In the garden, we grow a wide variety of vegetables, including several varieties of tomatoes, string beans, bell peppers, squash, zucchini, cucumber, and sweet corn.

Overall, our team is proud of our ability to use our land in a way that's not only nutritious and beneficial for their families, but also promotes the mission of The Chef's Garden and sustainability in our community. We're always excited to see what'll be in season next, and we encourage other companies to try out a garden program too!