February 19, 2008 The Bees Knees: Community-supported restaurant Play video

(NECN) - Community Supported Agriculture is a concept that has become very popular in Vermont. Individuals pledge money to a farm, and in turn share in the farm's bounty or poor harvest, throughout the growing season. Now, some entrepreneurs, including one in Morrisville, VT, are testing the concept out in a restaurant setting.

The Bees Knees opened its doors 4.5 years ago in Morrisville, Vermont. Customer Liz Dunning says the cafe-music venue is it exactly what the town needs as it evolves into a vibrant, artistic community.

Such support has enabled owner Sharon Deitz to keep the Bees Knees not only going, but growing. The café is undergoing a major expansion which is being financed in large part, by the community.

As a handful of other Vermont restaurants have done, Dietz turned to the community for financial help. $1,000 investments will be paid back over three years in the form of restaurant discounts. The setup is based on the Community Supported Agriculture model.

Construction began in January and should be done by May, allowing Dietz to move her cooking operations from her own kitchen to the larger one downstairs. To date, she has raised more than half of the $70,000 needed for the project. She has also gotten many offers of non-monetary help, both small and big.

Dietz says at its core, the arrangement is not about money - it is about investing in the community, which will pay itself back in spades.

NECN's Anya Huneke