Chef, garden advisor, recipe writer and more! That’s the introduction to Shannon Feltus, owner of Urban Farm Foods, a real information center and shopping place for those who love fresh and inventive meals. Her career began learning from “Gram”, who taught her hearty and wholesome recipes from her secret stash. That evolved into canning foods as a hobby and her generosity evolved into sharing her canned treats with others. An unabashed food nerd, Shannon was herded into the cheffing profession by friends and family who worshipped her cooking. They asked her over and over again to cook for them professionally (meaning Shannon got paid) for dinner parties and special events. This made Shannon feel confident she could enter the chef’s world and that was the beginning of her entry into the commercial world. Around 2012, after gaining notoriety both on local television shows and nationally on the Food Network, she started working seriously on creating her own brand, which is basically her knowledge, passion and energy. Besides being a chef on TV and catering pop up dinners, Shannon puts on classes to teach others. She instructs on proper gardening so people can grow their own nutritious food, invents and shares custom recipes and points to books for background reading. She is so inventive; she is currently developing new seeds for a local seed company, going above and beyond the normal food preparer or even food grower. Shannon loves how she is involved in creating new plant varieties, test-tasing them, and creating even more new recipes to share. An admitted vegetable pusher, Shannon appreciates how her seed producer is creating seeds for plants that will continue to produce year after year, rather than the “one and done” seed production from most companies. And of course, COVID has changed her business model. Not feeling comfortable going into people’s houses to cook for special events as in the past, Shannon channeled her time and energy into more recipes and sharing them along with Urban Farm Foods merchandise to spice up the special meals you can serve. That’s where you’ll find procured book titles as well, and the superb food photography will really put you in the mood to cook. You would do well to check out urbanfarmfoods.co – NOT .com (somebody grabbed that one). You should also note Shannon’s high standards for more than food and seeds. She has eschewed becoming an influencer even though she has had multiple offers. Shannon doesn’t feel right pushing products, she prefers the path of being an honorable businessperson. Her business success is no surprise based on her moral success.

"Masoni and Marshall the meaningful Marketplace" with your hosts Sarah Masoni and Sarah Marshall

We record the "the Meaningful Marketplace" inside NedSpace in the Bigfoot Podcast Studio in beautiful downtown Portland.

Audio engineer, mixer and podcast editor is Allon Beausoleil

Show logo was designed by Anton Kimball of Kimball Design

Website was designed by Cameron Grimes

Production assistant is Chelsea Lancaster

10% of gross revenue at Startup Radio Network goes to support women entrepreneurs in developing countries thru kiva.org/lender/markgrimes

Thank you for listening to The Meaningful Marketplace Podcast with your hosts, Sarah Masoni of Oregon State University's Food Innovation Center and Sarah Marshall, owner of Marshall's Haute Sauce. Connect with us on Instagram @meaningfulmarketplacepodcast. 

Call our hotline with questions for Sarah and Sarah at 503-395-8858. If you want to support our show, write us a review, share episodes with friends, or subscribe to our Patreon.

Producer: Sarah Marshall of The Joy of Creation Production House
Audio engineer, mixer, and podcast editor: Haley Bowers 
Show logo design: Anton Kimball of Kimball Design 
Production Coordinators: Dave Drusky