Meet Parkhurst’s Local Food Aggregator: Three Rivers Grown
Parkhurst Dining
Food service built on personal relationships and authentic culinary experiences.
Harvest season is on the horizon! At Parkhurst, we work with local food aggregator, Three Rivers Grown, that manages and distributes food frm small farms and nearby producers to our sites where we prepare newly harvested food for your plate. In fact, most of our sites purchase from local food aggregators across our footprint in regions such as Eastern PA, Western PA, New York, Maine, Maryland, Virginia, Kentucky, and Illinois — it’s one of the many ways we like to keep it fresh and local!
Meet Three Rivers Grown
Located in the Pittsburgh area, Three Rivers Grown connects regional producers to Pittsburgh buyers, bridging the gap between the field and the walk-in.
Three Rivers Grown manages the aggregation, sale, and distribution of quality food from small farms and food producers located in the Three Rivers region, with the goal to increase availability of local foods in wholesale markets. They currently sell exclusively to wholesale buyers ranging from grocery stores to restaurants to large foodservice operations (like Parkhurst).
Through our partnership with Three Rivers Grown, we were connected with the following producers:
In 2001, five Amish vegetable farmers started working together to market their certified organic produce to Pittsburgh grocery stores and farms. Today, that collaboration has evolved into Clarion River Organics, a 12-farm cooperative that includes farms in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Michigan. Certified Organic by the USDA and third-party food safety-inspected, Clarion River Organics’ mission is to apply the most holistic and natural farming techniques to maintain soil life and plant health while providing the most nutritious best-tasting products and direct personal experiences of connection between customer, farmer, and land. CRO owner Nathan Holmes also founded Three Rivers Grown.
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In 2006, Susquehanna Mills founder Josh Leidhecker started using waste vegetable oil (WVO) from restaurants to produce biodiesel, in a process of farm-to-fork-to-fuel. Soon, he began to produce high-quality sunflower and canola oil from locally grown crops and collaborated closely with farmers to grow seed oil crops, which are then pressed into high-quality oil delivered to commercial kitchens, distributors, and retail partners. Susquehanna Mills practices Full Circle manufacturing, meaning that they work with farmers to create the oil, sell the oil to restaurants, and then repurpose the WVO to power farming equipment, creating a sustainable and efficient cycle.
Starting with a single hive 20 years ago, the Bedillion family have grown their hive numbers to 1,000 beehives hosted in 30 locations while also producing pure honey, beeswax, and live honeybee colonies for sale. Bedillion Honey Farm’s local region is home to a variety of nectar sources, and the hives are actively managed to coordinate hive strength with seasonal flowers.
Every spring at Bedillion Honey Farm, beekeeping customers from all over the tri-state area and beyond come to purchase honeybee colonies grown in their apiary. The Bedillions offer all the beekeeping equipment and supplies necessary, as well as lessons and support for those new to the hobby.
Parkhurst is proud to work with Three Rivers Grown and these local producers as innovators rethinking the way we produce and consume food.