Edgewater Market Takes 'Local' to New Heights

When Sara Colhoun was just a child growing up on her parents’ farm in Harwood she had an insight that ultimately guided her path in life.

She recognized that something was inherently misguided for her father to need to load the farm truck with asparagus, but then drive the produce elsewhere to sell it.

“Even then, it was strange that we had to leave our community to sell food and that people had to leave their communities to buy food,” Colhoun said. “It just seemed off.”

Colhoun, now 37, is a ninth generation farmer who initially started farming in the Pacific Northwest after a few years at St. Johns in Santa Fe, NM. She didn’t finish college there because food allergies and multiple chemical sensitivities interrupted her studies.

But as she dealt with her health issues, she became increasingly interested in food and decided to enroll in Vermont’s Goddard College to major in agricultural education.

Her schooling there also encouraged her to broaden her scope and examine food systems in a more dynamic and holistic way.

Influences from college research, movies such as Fast Food Nation, news reports on high cancer rates among the children of migrant workers and the increasing interest in locally grown foods ultimately compelled Colhoun to move back home to farm the family’s land and figure out ways to bring local, organic and healthy foods to the regional population.

“I saw that my customers wanted natural meats and cheeses, so it seemed like the time was right to put it together into a shop,” Colhoun said.

The Culmination of a Dream

On July 20, she opened Restoration Foods, a small store in Edgewater, after overcoming numerous hurdles that kept her from debuting last winter as she had initially planned. Potential customers bought into the concept early on and seeded some of the money to open the store by becoming founding members and purchasing multi-year club memberships.

The store, at 2981 Solomons Island Rd., is still growing, but currently carries organic produce, dairy products, plants, gluten-free foods and meats, as well as home goods, personal care products and gardening/composting wares. As much as possible, the products come from no more than 80 miles away or less.

“As things settle down, I’ll get more and more things from my farm that are harvested the same day,” she said.

Restoration Foods also will continue carrying fresh local farm produce throughout the winter, she said.

Polly Pittman, an eighth-generation farmer herself, runs The Vineyards at Dodon in Davidsonville along with her husband. While buying some groceries at Colhoun’s store one afternoon, she noted that her vineyard is collaborating with the store to offer wine tastings.

That sort of collaboration is typical of Colhoun’s vision—full of ambitious plans that expand well beyond the store’s immediate footprint.

When created sensibly, local community food systems allow people to fashion their own livelihoods by growing and making products rather than only working for corporations and businesses, Colhoun said. She recognized the escalating desire of local food entrepreneurs to gain a foothold in the system.

A Place to Buy, A Place to Sell

Part of Colhoun’s plan is to provide an outlet for people to sell their products. She said she hopes to develop an incubator commercial kitchen so that small-product developers can use the space without worrying about logistics, regulations and permits.

She said about 10 potential entrepreneurs have expressed interest in such a facility, but she said she hopes additional people will get involved as the concept develops.

Colhoun also is working with those who own “idle” land—generally large swaths of lawn—in South County to convert into production. One landowner will be raising quail for eggs; another will be farming sheep for lamb meat. The store will carry both products.

Founding member and customer Gloria Mishou, a resident of Turkey Point Island in Edgewater, said she wholeheartedly endorses Colhoun’s vision. She was so impressed with the concept that she put her commercial mortgage lending background to use to help Colhoun with contractors to fix up the building space and called local food producers to encourage them to sell at the store.

“She’s carrying a lot of stuff that I would normally order elsewhere,” said Mishou. “I love her concept. Every week she has more products. I think she’s growing at a comfortable rate.”

Mishou summed up her enthusiasm for Colhoun, her plans and the difference this kind of store has made in her life.

“We had the same vision, but my life doesn’t permit it,” Mishou said.

With the continued growth of the store and Colhoun’s associated plans, Mishou can have her gluten-free cupcake and eat it, too.

Restoration Foods is at 2981 Solomons Island Rd. in Edgewater and is open from noon to 8 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays. Visit the website for directions to the somewhat hidden store at www.restorationfoods.com. A few yearly or multi-year memberships are also still available.