The Columbia River Gorge is known for its abundant fruit production — but despite the bounty, the region experiences extreme wealth disparities and high rates of food insecurity. According to a 2015 local food security assessment, one in three households in the region faces food insecurity. In addition, USDA IMPLAN data shows that 98% of food grown in the Gorge is exported, while at least 92% of food consumed is imported. When extreme weather events like wildfires or ice storms close highways, local grocery stores and food pantries often run out of food in just three days.
In response, Oregon State University Extension Service's Lauren Kraemer, now an associate professor in the Family and Community Health program in the College of Health, partnered with local food hub Gorge Grown Food Network in 2013 to create the Added Value Rental Program. The goal was to help households and small-scale producers keep more of the region’s food local by making it easier to process and preserve harvests at home.
With $5,000 in grant funding, Extension purchased and cataloged about 40 pieces of food preservation equipment — including dehydrators, canning kits, fermenting crocks, steam juicers and other tools — and launched a public rental program from the Extension office in Hood River.
The program offered residents a low-cost way to try out specialty equipment without having to buy or store it themselves. It also gave small food businesses a chance to test new products before committing to expensive investments.
In 2019, Extension partnered with the Hood River Library District to relocate the collection to the library’s growing Library of Things. The move provided more convenient hours, online reservations, and greater visibility. The result: rentals quadrupled in the first seven months, from 30–40 per year to 136. The program maintained momentum even during the COVID-19 pandemic, with 103 rentals in 2020, and continued to grow — 224 rentals in 2021, 267 in 2022, and 255 in 2023.
The most frequently borrowed item is the Nesco dehydrator, with 152 checkouts between 2019 and 2023. Other popular tools include fermenting crocks (116 rentals), cherry pitters (114), canning kits (89), and large-capacity dehydrators (86). Community members consistently praise the program for reducing costs, saving space, and supporting a more sustainable, community-minded approach to food systems.
“We don’t all need to own everything,” said one user. “This program is such a great way to share equipment and tools.”
Kristin Franger, co-owner of Blue Bus Fermented Foods, added: “We really appreciated this service — it allowed us to use more local produce in our products.”
The Added Value Rental Program plans to expand its offerings in 2024. By reducing barriers to food preservation, the program continues to help individuals, families and small businesses increase their food security — while keeping more of the Gorge’s agricultural abundance in local hands.
