What We're Looking For

Forward-Thinking Farmers and Food Producers

We accept 6 to 10 participants per cohort across two tracks. You don't need to be a certain size or at a certain revenue level. You do need to be producing, you need to have a genuine interest in understanding how chefs think, and you need to be willing to try things that might not work.

The Horticultural Farmer Track is designed for growers whose primary operation involves field or greenhouse crops -- vegetables, herbs, specialty botanicals, edible flowers, ethnic varieties, or other cultivated plant products. If you've ever wondered why a chef buys from a distributor instead of you, or what it would take to get on a restaurant's weekly order, this track is for you.

The Food Producer Track is designed for makers and processors -- fermented goods, maple syrups, preserves, charcuterie, dairy, honey, value-added products, and similar. If you have a product with a story and you're trying to figure out how to get it in front of the right buyers, this track is for you.

You self-select your track when you apply. If you're unsure, tell us why in your application and we'll figure it out together. Applications open Spring 2027.

What the Season Looks Like

The residency runs for three months. It's structured but not rigid -- the shape of each cohort's season is partly determined by what participants bring to it. At the core, you can expect:
Working sessions with culinary professionals. Chefs, mixologists, and food buyers who participate in StoryLab are here to collaborate, not to lecture. You'll learn what culinary professionals are actually looking for, what questions they ask when sourcing, and what makes a farm or producer relationship worth maintaining. Again, this is not a cooking class.

Iterative product development. You'll have the opportunity to bring experimental crops, varieties, or products into the process and get real culinary feedback. What happens when a chef works with a botanical you've been growing speculatively? What does a mixologist do with a preservation technique you've been refining? The residency is designed to generate those conversations.

Market development support. StoryLab applies creative and brand development expertise to farmer storytelling. By the end of the season, you'll have a clearer sense of how to position your operation, communicate your value to culinary buyers, and build lasting professional relationships in the regional food economy.

Peer learning across the cohort. You'll be working alongside other farmers and producers across both tracks. Cross-pollination between growers and makers is intentional -- some of the most valuable insights come from outside your own specialty.