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Taste Cowichan turns to crowd sourcing for expansion funds

Taste Cowichan is looking to expand, and they're hoping to crowd source the money to do it with.

TASTECowichan.ca, started three years ago by Zuk Design husband and wife team Patricia MacGregor and Drew Harling, is an online directory for everything local.

The Cowichan model has worked so well that Taste is expanding Island wide with a Taste site for every area of the Island and an umbrella TASTEtheIsland site. The expansion is being kicked off with an Indiegogo Campaign that's live now -http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/taste-the-island.

"Everything we need is right here on Vancouver Island, how do we show the world?" MacGregor asks when describing the local artisans and farmers who inspired her.

MacGregor and the Taste team work hard to promote local through the weekly slideshow, weekly contest, two e-newsletters, and social media.

The team includes Toad Hollow photographer Scott Johnson, small business consultant Clemens Rettich, and sales rep Katherine Melnyk, and Patricia MacGregor hopes will soon include two more.

The online community includes a business directory, event board and blog with information on local authors and Tastemonials. The campaign closes May 14.