As an urban farmer and business owner, I'm all about growth. But growth implies change. And we are constantly looking for ways to make Dogpatch better for our customers, employees, and communities.
So we're really excited to introduce the changes we are making to Dogpatch in 2024.
But first, a word about how we got to where we are today.
farmer Jenny"In 2024 we will continue to grow, change, and innovate. Before telling you about the changes we're making in 2024, we'll review how DUG has evolved since we opened for business in 2015."
We started our journey on Thanksgiving Day 2015 when we posted this sign in our empty garden plot. Now we had to generate revenue—so we grew microgreens in our basement and sold them online to consumers and local restaurants.
We put seeds in the ground and completed construction of the DUG FarmStand. We opened the FarmStand in May and also sold our produce at the Beaverdale Farmers Market.
We needed to extend our growing season, so we accepted funding through a USDA grant. With the help of our community, we constructed the high tunnel and it became a huge asset for growing our crops.
We launched and funded our first Kickstarter campaign. We used the proceeds to work through some government requirements and add two public restrooms, cement to the driveway, and a commercial kitchen.
In 2019 we hosted our first FarmStand to Fork Dinner where leading Des Moines chefs prepare dinners highlighting local food in our commercial kitchen.
We implemented a two pronged COVID response. We transitioned the FarmStand to online orders with contactless pick up. And we developed our DUG Salad Dressings, which are now sold in hundreds of retail outlets.
We doubled our footprint when we purchased 1.25 acres of neighboring land. We built two heated greenhouses, a standalone building housing a work space and garage, and a free food pantry.
Our DUG Unplugged Concert series features local musicians who perform in our weather protected greenhouses. Attendees enjoy an intimate musical listening experience not available elsewhere.
On April 8 we opened the Dogpatch Garden Center. We stock plants, seeds, soil, fertilizer, and tools to help our customers grow their garden, landscape their property, and even decorate their homes.
In a nutshell, we are taking a sabbatical from growing crops intensively during the 2024 season. This means we will be scaing back our greens and cut flower production.
On the other hand, we are expanding the Dogpatch Garden Center as well as our FarmStand to Fork Dinners and DUG Unplugged onsite events.
We know this will spark questions. Here are answers to some questions you might have.
ABSOLUTELY NOT! We are just shifting our business to better serve my family, my employees, our customers and our community.
Yes! The DUG FarmStand will still be open. We will sell locally grown products and customer favorites such as honey, jam, eggs, etc. We will also shift a portion of the FarmStand to offer more garden products.
The grow plots on the farm property will transition into retail space for our Garden Center. We are most excited about this use because our customers will have more interaction with these spaces than ever before. We will keep our home plot available to grow crops / flowers in the future. We are no longer using Kathy's land for the farm.
YES! We love hosting events, so plan on FarmStand to Fork Dinners, DUG Unplugged concerts and more!
Not during the 2024 season.
YES! Memberships will be bigger and better for the 2024 season. Details will be released soon.
YES! You can find our dressings at the DUG FarmStand, HyVee, Campbell's Nutrition, Gateway Market, Wheatsfield Coop, DSM Mercantile, West 40 Market, and more. We also plan to expand into more markets with our dressings.
Please contact us with your questions or comments and we'll get back to you.
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