The Central Illinois Farm Fed Co-op is stepping up to help bridge the gap and expand its profit opportunities.

MT. PULASKI, Ill. (WAND) - In Central Illinois' peak farm season, fresh produce is abundant. But as temperatures drop, most crops stop growing. That means farmers don't have as many opportunities to make money. 

The Central Illinois Farm Fed Co-op is stepping up to help bridge the gap and expand its profit opportunities. In the growing season, they process and flash freeze fresh food and save it for later months. 

"Flash freezing locks in the nutrients and the texture about as well as anything that you can do besides fresh," said Tom Martin, Chairman of the Central Illinois Farm Fed Co-op. "We've always had that market where you can sell in-season produce which is wonderful. But out of season, there wasn't that availability to it." 

For example, if a farmer has 500 extra pounds of tomatoes, the Co-op can flash freeze them whole, dice them and vacuum seal them, or turn them into a puree. The farmers can then take the processed products pack, or the Co-op can connect them to a distributor who can send the food to a local nursing home or school. 

Martin said it's a facility that local farmers have needed for some time, but it doesn't make sense to buy the equipment themselves. 

"Our hope is that we can encourage four or five small farmers to come out and grow acreage of specialty crops and then we can help them process that," Martin said. "For each farmer to try to put in a processing plant, it's not economically feasible, but if we can open up the equipment for service for everybody, it makes it economically feasible." 

The co-op hopes that by expanding the time when produce can be sold, farming will be more economically viable. It also expands the accessibility of quality, local produce for community members. 

For more information on the Central Illinois Farm Fed Co-op, you can visit its website.

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