Northwest Montana tastes the fruit of LCCDC businesses
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RONAN — Healthy, locally-produced jerky sounds like a contradiction. But it exists and it is, without a doubt, delicious.
Free of preservatives, MSG and nitrates, Silent Creations Buffalo Jerky was just one of the local fares attendees sampled at the open house, hosted by the Lake County Community Development Corporation.
Many local business owners and politicians mingled sipping Tipu’s Tiger Chai and nibbling on local foods such as cheeses produced by The Flathead Lake Cheese Company.
Through the event, LCCDC simultaneously promoted local businesses while communicating their objective — to invest in start-up companies with the objective of stimulating local economic growth.
Silent Creations is a prime example of the businesses LCCDC partners with.
“(LCCDC) has been very instrumental in him getting his business up and going,” Silent Creation’s Lead processor Johnson said at the event. “We work hand and hand with them.”
And that’s the truth. Like most Montanans, Johnson wears many different hats. With two certificates in culinary arts, Johnson finds part-time work in construction and re-modeling when he’s not making natural, buffalo jerky.
In fact, LCCDC contracted with him for their latest remodel — adding on an office for Silent Creations and other businesses to rent at a low cost.
That’s LCCDC’s entire mission — to jumpstart the community by pouring stimulus money into projects that employ ready-to-work Montanans.
Born and raised a Republican, facility manager Roland Godan said he has a new viewpoint on stimulus money after working at LCCDC.
He no longer views it as a redistribution of wealth tactic. With stimulus monies, he was able to hire 14 contractors for a housing project in Plains. That’s 14 families with food on the table and circulating money within Plains.
“The whole idea is to stimulate the economy,” he said.
And LCCDC has the resources to do so.
LCCDC employs a staff of people with complimenting occupational niches. Each member of the team has an expertise that could guide a business owner in the right the direction.
Though LCCDC staff will tell you that food producers are not the majority of their clients, the USDA-approved kitchen component is certainly the most eye-catching part of the facility.
Equipment ranging from room-size freezers to processors, industrial size stoves and ovens take up most of the room downstairs.
All of which can be rented for $35 per hour.
A price that doesn’t even cover the grease for the machines, explained Godan.
LCCDC hosted the open house event in order to raise awareness about their facility and the valuable resources available to the community.
“There’s nothing like this in the entire Pacific northwest,” Godan said.
And it’s right here, in Ronan.
