Sell to us. We are the coordination layer.
A resource page for growers in and around Houston. We buy farm-direct, we aggregate across farms to hit institutional volume, and we tell you exactly what paperwork unlocks the channels that pay best.
We source farm-direct across chef, meal-program, and institutional channels. If you grow it well and can hold a pack, we can probably move it.
- ·Seasonal vegetables and leafy greens, field-grown and high-tunnel
- ·Root vegetables, alliums, and hardy storage crops
- ·Herbs (fresh cut and bundled)
- ·Specialty and heirloom produce for chefs and private dining
- ·Eggs and pasture-raised protein where supply and food-safety allow
- ·Stone fruit, citrus, and berries in season
- ·Value-added product (jams, ferments, dressings) from verified kitchens
Tell us what you grow
Send crop lists, expected volume windows, and your location. The more specific, the better we can match you to a channel.
Share your food-safety posture
Any GAP audit, food-safety plan, or certified kitchen documentation you already have. If you have none, we'll tell you what unlocks institutional channels.
Aggregation match
We slot you into the right channel — chef direct, meal program, or institutional aggregation through FARM2CHEF — based on volume, consistency, and pack.
Pack, grade, and cold chain
We agree on pack and grade, delivery cadence, and cold-chain handoff so the buyer gets audit-ready product.
The paperwork below is what unlocks institutional channels. You do not need all of it on day one — but each item you hold widens the door.
- ✓USDA GAP (Good Agricultural Practices) audit — the most common institutional door-opener
- ✓A written farm food-safety plan and water-test records
- ✓Post-harvest handling and cold-storage logs
- ✓Product liability insurance (often required by institutions)
- ✓A certified kitchen / cottage-food registration for value-added product
- ✓Consistent pack and grade, and audit-ready invoicing
Institutional buyers receive product they can trust. These are the basics that make a small grower legible to a large buyer.
- →Pre-cool product before pickup; field heat is the largest quality loss
- →Maintain the cold chain from harvest to handoff — log temperatures where possible
- →Standardized pack and grade so an institutional buyer can receive without re-sorting
- →Reliable weekly volume windows; institutional buyers plan menus weeks ahead
We do not administer these programs, but we point growers to the categories most likely to fit a Houston-area operation. Always confirm current cycles and eligibility with the administering agency.
- ·USDA Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP) — aggregation and local-food infrastructure
- ·USDA Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP) and Specialty Crop Block Grants
- ·USDA Value-Added Producer Grants (VAPG) for processing and marketing
- ·Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP) for training and technical assistance
- ·State of Texas Department of Agriculture grants (Go Texpan, specialty crop)
- ·NRCS EQIP and high-tunnel cost-share for conservation and season extension
- ·Private and community foundation food-access funding (Houston-area)
Where growers and eaters gather in our region. Named in a neutral directory tone.
- Harlem River Farms
- Fresh Houwse Grocery / Black Farmer Box
- Ecotone
- The Metallic Foundation
- Urban Harvest
- Acres Homes Farmers Market
- Live Oak Farmers Market
Tell us what you grow.
Send your crop list, volume windows, location, and any food-safety documentation you already hold. We reply within two business days.