There's a fresh way of eating on the way. That's when the Quad Cities Food Hub hosts an Open House on Thursday evening.
It runs from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday at 421 West River Drive in Davenport. Tickets are $15, which feature a beer sampler and local treats.
When it comes to fresh food, the Kunkel family finds it in Davenport. That's why they're welcoming the new addition.
"I think it's great because you know what's in the food," Kathryn Kunkel said. "The food is higher in vitamins and nutrients."
Wendy Saathoff is moving quickly these days. Inside the Freight House complex, the food hub is ready to open.
"The main mission for the food hub is to strengthen the local food economy," she said.
And the closer, the better for the food hub. It features a variety of natural, homegrown products. Everything from jams and bread mixes to toasted soybeans and a seed exchange.
"Shopping locally really supports the farmers that are here," she said.
Future plans include a kitchen and room upstairs for special meetings and events.
The Quad Cities Food Hub will inspire buying local products. It's an investment in nutrition and quality that's ready to grow.
It will create a corridor for fresh products. Front Street Brewery next door sources local grains for its beer. Beef from the same farm is sold a few steps away at Fresh Deli.
When somebody hands Fresh Deli owner Ed Kraklio a lemon, he makes fresh lemonade.
"It's a wonderful thing that people have a great response to our restaurant and buying things that are fresh and local," he said.
The Freight House Farmers Market brings it all together. While separate from the food hub, it creates a corridor with choices within walking distance. It's just right for the Kunkel family.
"I think it sounds great any time you can try to get more natural and organic produce down into the Quad Cities," Kathryn concluded.
It's a food hub that's ready to serve at the Freight House in Davenport.