Tessa Edick is a food entrepreneur, author, founder/executive director of the Farm On! Foundation, and author.
Edick launched her career in the food industry as co-founder of Sauces ‘n Love, Inc.. a Boston-based food manufacturer, 15 years ago. Edick revolutionized ready-made tomato sauce in a jar (Scarpetta) and other Italian specialty food products, over 200 print and television impressions as the company grew globally, including two features in the Oprah Magazine “O” list, and 16 NASFT awards, known in the industry as the Oscars of food.
Edick also founded The Culinary Partnership, where her guidance helps both celebrity chefs and food entrepreneurs launch their recipes to retail shelves. All products launched by The Culinary Partnership are in line with Edick’s commitment to farm-fresh ingredients and responsible food choices.
In 2010, Edick started FarmOn! as a non-profit organization and charity, committed to raising the awareness of farmers and the farming community, and educating the public on the importance of food-choices and sustainability. FarmOn! offers programs for adults and youth, including a summer camp, the theme of which is connecting our food to its source, thereby supporting the local growing community in the process. Title sponsors include John Varvatos, Whole Foods, Applegate, Chobani, John Deere, among others.
In 2014, through a generous donation from the John Mack Family Foundation, Farm On! received a deed to the historic Empire Farm in Copake, NY. At almost 300 acres, Empire is the official home base of the organization, and FarmOn! Ag-Academy. The organization now provides CSA shares to local and New York City chefs and restaurants; CSA produce-meat-dairy subscriptions to individuals in a partnership with ABC Kitchen; year-round educational programs in conjunction with Cornell School of Agriculture and SUNY, and a host of fund-raising and community events. One of FarmOn’s extraordinary initiatives is the Milk Money program, underwriting local milk to local schools – with the promise of “cow to kid” in 36 hours, milk consumption in the 10 schools currently sponsored has increased 300% in the first year!
Edick’s first book, “Hudson Valley Food and Farming: Why Didn’t Anyone Tell Me That?”, was published in 2014, and a second book is expected this year. She also writes a by-monthly column “Meet Your Farmer” for Columbia-Greene Newspapers, and is a contributing editor of the national monthly, Modern Farmer.
Edick resides in Copake, New York with her partner, Eric Williams, formerly of the Boston Celtics, and an English bulldog and a mastiff – Ruby Juice and Lady Trudie Astor, respectively.
