Mid-State Establishes New Partnership With Food + Farm Exploration Center

Mid-State Technical College has partnered with the Food + Farm Exploration Center in Plover to offer unique culinary and enrichment classes, new internships and externships for students and community outreach opportunities. 

Mid-State’s partnership with Food + Farm Exploration Center supports the College’s mission to transform lives through Mid-State-delivered education and enrichment activities. The primary focus of the partnership is on agricultural products, services and local career pathways.

The partnership is kicking off with a series of 18 culinary continuing education courses hosted in the Food + Farm Exploration Center’s Kitchen Lab. The first class is Sweet Corn and Corn Chowder on Wednesday, Oct. 25, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. It will feature three different corn recipes: creamy brown corn chowder, authentic Mexican style corn and creamed corn.  

“We are excited to introduce Food + Farm Exploration Center as a new site where community members can experience enrichment courses,” said Dr. Bobbi Damrow, Mid-State vice president of Workforce Development & Community Relations. “Their new, state-of-the-art culinary lab exemplifies a learning environment to strive for, and we are proud to extend our culinary continuing education offerings close to home for residents on the eastern side of our district.”

“The mission of the Food + Farm Exploration Center is all about educating our community about their food and where it comes from,” said Andy Reitz, executive director of Food + Farm Exploration Center. “Partnering with the Mid-State Technical College Culinary Arts program provides a great opportunity to bring that education to life. We are looking forward to the partnership, and to sampling some of the creations.”

“By hosting culinary classes inside the Food + Farm Education Center’s Kitchen Lab, participants will experience unique culinary offerings in a state-of-the-art classroom,” Reitz added. “Collaborating on educational opportunities in our communities is a benefit for everyone. Our facility can become a hub for learning, and Mid-State can continue to expand its reach.”

“The Food + Farm Exploration Center is a great partner and will serve as an additional location that will allow us to support student learning and serve the local community in a convenient, brand-new location,” said Dr. Chris Severson, Mid-State vice president of Academics. “The Center will give Mid-State students real-world experiences and allow students the opportunity to demonstrate their skills to others in the community.”

Food + Farm Exploration Center’s mission is to educate current and future generations about agricultural innovation and sustainability. It is a destination for education, unforgettable family experiences, lots of fun and great wholesome food. Visitors can combine agricultural science with culinary arts in the Kitchen Lab, explore the Ag Lab Maker Space through hands-on activities using high-tech tools to problem-solve, meet the machines that feed the nation in the Farm Tech Shed and witness agriculture in action right where it happens—in the field.