Don’t forget our farmers

Greater Springfield, you and I, and the rest of the world are progressing through the after-age of the pandemic. We are all in it together. Every continent, country, region, business and person is finding his or her way past COVID-19.

Things have changed in more ways than can be quantified. Each of us has a different reaction as we move forward. Those of us of a certain age will recall Lee Iacocca’s admonition, “Lead, follow, or get out of the way.” It remains good advice.

The pandemic was a challenge for some, devastating for some others and every gradient in-between for most. The virus and ensuing events are leading us into an economic recession that couldn’t have been imagined three years ago.

One can point fingers in a myriad of directions, but the fact remains, the economy has not only receded, it has changed. Working circumstances have changed, and the physical location of our work performance has changed for many.

The workforce has evolved as older employees have left the arena, and younger workers are entering it at a slower pace, often with expec- tations that are wildly different than the norms we have been comfortable with for generations.

From my perch, I see the New England agriculturists and their reaction to all things, not just the pandemic, in the light of Iacocca’s words. There is something to his mindset we can all benefit from.

The agriculturists must be flexible. They must be forward-focused. There is no other option. Well, there is actually a singular “other option” — they can quit. In the simplest terms, if they quit, there is no milk. No eggs. No meat. No vegetables. No food. Here I’m reminded of the ubiq- uitous bumper-sticker: No Farms. No Food. That is a truth. Though our farms have changed, and many have disappeared, thank God and the American way of life, the U.S. remains a powerhouse of food production, entrepreneurial thinking and efficiency. In normal times, pre-2020, I would have written that differently. I would have confidently stated that the U.S. produces so much food that we are a net exporter. Unfortunately, currently, that is not true. These days we are net importer. And from a variety of sources, including those who may not be our friends on the world stage. But those facts are for another article. Today, we want to talk about resiliency and meeting challenges. And that is precisely what the American agriculturist does, setting a path we should follow.

Most of all, the Northeastern farmers have served as the world’s agricultural innovator since America’s founding. In the current age, they manage stifling regulation that hobbles him. They also deal with seasons and the weather they impose. They work on a topography that is not conducive to the scale farming required in modern times.

To survive, the New England farmer must be diverse, adjusting from season to season, milking, and perhaps making ice cream or cheeses from cow’s and-or goat’s milk. They will sell beef, vegetables, pick-yourown fruits, maple syrup, Christmas trees, or a host of other products, all in an effort to progress, to make a living, to provide for their families, to add to our culture, our economy and society.

Most of us pay little attention to what goes on behind the scenes. We visit our friends at the Big Y who do all the work to assemble our favorite products in the market. We simply do not have to give any consideration to how it got there, where

Crave, now located at 285 High St., is a restaurant, catering business and mobile food truck offering modern Puerto Rican cuisine that uses fresh, local ingredients.

“We opened our brickand-mortar restaurant while managing our food truck and catering orders,” Ortiz said. “It’s been wild and a bit of a learning curve, but we’re so happy we’ve been able to expand.”

Creating Crave was Ortiz’s dream, and it became her reality quickly thanks to the MGM Culinary Arts Institute at Holyoke Community College and Holyoke’s EforAll (Entrepreneurship for All) program. Ortiz attended a pitch contest for her business idea in the summer of 2019 and won first prize. With her $1,000 prize money, she created a “pop-up” restaurant at Holyoke Community College.

“It was highly successful and a surreal experience,” she recalled. “We knew we had a winning idea and food that people wanted, loved, and supported, so I signed up for the business accelerator program from EforAll Holyoke, and they helped me go from idea to a legitimate business.”

In February 2020, Ortiz purchased her food truck and moved full steam ahead despite the world soon shutting down from the pandemic. Her food truck was fully open by that August, and its success led her to expand.

John Grossman, of the Holyoke Hummus Co., offered Ortiz the opportunity to share space with him on High Street to prepare her menu items so she would no longer need to use a commercial kitchen in Southwick. “The space was right here in downtown Holyoke, so it was perfect,” she added.

In June 2021, Crave took over the entire lease and the storefront increased her business. “We didn’t have the intention of opening a brickand-mortar, but it was silly for us not to serve food, so we ran with it,” enthused Ortiz.

The offerings at Crave are vibrant, ranging from tropical tacos and loaded baked potato soup to homemade lemonades in mango passionfruit or blueberry lavender.

“I’m always trying to keep up-to-date with food magazines and new cookbooks and expand my knowledge,” Ortiz said. “I love playing around with ingredients and offering specials that our customers really enjoy.”

Ortiz says her favorite thing on her menu are the plantain fries: “I think we are the only place in the area that sells them with mango salsa and other colorful ingredients.”

Ortiz’s future plans include getting her liquor license for the restaurant and hopes to offer more outdoor dining. “We hope to expand our food truck operation, too,” she added.

Tessa Murphy-Romboletti, executive director of EforAll/ EParaTodos, says Ortiz came to the entrepreneurship mentoring program with an idea, incredible skill for cooking and she used every opportunity to help her bring her dreams to fruition.

“Launching and growing a business despite a pandemic, a hiring crisis and rising costs just shows Nicole’s tenacity,” Murphy-Romboletti said.

“We’re so proud of her and the way she has become a leader in our community, and we’ll continue to support her.”

Ortiz’s advice for other entrepreneurs is to stay focused, plan and strategize: “Really understand what you’re getting into, gain experience and take time to learn your craft and business.”

Crave is open weekdays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., offering lunch and dinner menus, and specials for Taco Tuesdays. The Crave Food Truck travels around Western Massachusetts and catering is available for events. Visit cravetruckma.com for more information.