Growing Community, Growing Local Foods with Fritz Boettner

Episode 10 Description

In today’s episode of the We Rise Podcast, Christine is joined by Fritz Boettner of Turnrow Appalachian Farm Collective. Fritz is the director of Food Systems Development at West Virginia University Center for Resilient Communities, a learning laboratory for community transformation. Learn about the value of failure as feedback, the importance of building a firm foundation to turn an idea into reality, and the need for cooperation over competition. What does it take to change the food industry paradigm so it works in favor of all?

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Episode 10 Show Notes

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Key takeaways

The value of feedback and growing from failure

Over the years leading up to his current position at West Virginia University Center for Resilient Communities, Fritz held varying roles in consulting and project planning, while also spearheading and developing new programs centered around agriculture and food systems work. Two key initiatives include Sprouting Farms and Turnrow Appalachian Farm Collective.

However, Fritz is no stranger to taking on challenges and jumping in at the ground level.

Before joining the team at West Virginia University, he started a grocery store in his hometown focused on local foods. Faced with numerous challenges, including unexpected tax bills and a flood that wiped out some of their inventory, the business eventually shuttered though it had strong community support. Though Fritz has fond memories of the experience, there were so many lessons learned: recognizing the importance of having a clear vision, staying humble and welcoming wisdom from others, and how essential it is to build a strong network. Fritz notes that being resilient in the face of unexpected challenges will buffer the shocks you experience along the way and set you up for future success.

To activate your resilience muscle, use your failures as a growth opportunity. Think about what worked and what didn’t work. Use that as feedback. From there, you can calibrate, develop a stronger foundation, and continue in the pursuit toward your vision.

Building from the bottom line and creating a firm foundation

An idea is just a good idea if there is no plan for it to come to fruition. 

With Fritz’s work in food systems development, his bottom line requires a network of talented farmers who believe in their vision. This requires both investment in the farmers – committing to seeing them succeed, and a willingness to sell their products. In shifting their focus from self-preservation to wanting farmers to thrive, a network of support and trust is built. These relationships are key to ensuring a firm foundation as the Center for Resilience Communities at West Virginia University continues to grow.

In addition to having support from farmers, Fritz explains the importance of meeting the needs of the community and the consumers of the products they are selling. 

Partnering with programs like Food Justice Lab , SNAP Stretch, local food banks and more creates accessibility for consumers, while also spotlighting other programs within the industry. These partnerships are crucial components of building a lasting and impactful program. This also means working with farmers and programs of all levels and sizes. Whether someone owns a small tomato business or sells 100,000 tomatoes, both hold value and are key to building a strong network. Turnrow Appalachian Farm Collective is a great example of putting these principles into practice. Starting with clarity on what they wanted the collective to be, Turnrow began partnering with local programs like Grow Ohio Valley, Garret Growers, and New Roots Community Farm. This integration meant providing support, funding, and resources in a practical way so these farms and cooperatives could continue doing their work. The result is now a community of over 100 producers in partnership with Turnrow.

Shifting the paradigm from competition to cooperation

Fritz thrives in challenging the norms and taking risks in the food systems industry. Navigating conflict, knowing when to say no, and living in an abundance mindset are key components to shifting the paradigm.

Maintaining relationships with a variety of farms, cooperatives and programs means there is likely to be disagreements at some point. Fritz believes in the importance of having a conversation when these situations arise to ensure reconciliation and continued forward momentum.

It is also important to set boundaries. Knowing what consumers need and working with farms that are willing to meet halfway, means sometimes having to say no to other farmers and programs. This does not mean closing the door to future possibilities. It means being able to articulate if a partnership is not a right fit at the moment.

Navigating business through the lens of competition will ultimately hold everyone back. Instead, Fritz approaches his work from a lens of abundance. There is enough space for everyone to experience success. Challenging the competition mindset in an industry that operates in a different manner comes with pushback. However, in the face of struggle, a new approach to the food systems industry is being created that is for the betterment of programs, farmers, and consumers.

notable quote from Fritz Boettner

“We’ve got to take care of everybody and really work hard at multiple scales. Think about our ecosystem. Think about the environment. Think about people, really focusing on that triple bottom line of things. That needs to be integrated into what we do. And I see that working both financially, I see that working at a community level. And I see that working at a partner level.”