The Women of Indiana's Farmers Markets
Women of Indiana's Farmers Markets - theCityMoms
EDITOR'S NOTE: K, before we dive in, a quick note of clarification... The gorgeous gal smiling back at you from the headline image of this piece is Rachel Klein, founder of Revival Food Co. And we adore her. She's not mentioned in this article about the Women of Indiana's Farmers Markets, but the photo of her just so perfectly encompassed the idea that we had to feature it. And if you'd like to read more on her, no prob - we've gotchu: Rachel was featured in our 2019 Momlight article here. Summertime is in full swing in Indiana, which means an abundance of fresh, locally grown produce is available for you and your family. From the quintessential Saturday morning farmers market to the lesser-known - but equally convenient urban farm stands - theCityMoms has the scoop on some of the best ways to score the berry best our fine state has to offer! However, for some families, sourcing nutritious, locally grown food can be problematic. We chatted with three women elevating the typical farmers market to address food insecurities and enhance wellness in their communities.
These are 3 women inside Indiana's farmers markets:
Ashley Brooks
President, Garfield Park Farmers Market {GPFM}
You and Julia Woody formed the GPFM in 2016 to serve a "moderate food desert." Can you explain what a food desert is and why it is important to fill those voids with healthy options?
A food desert is an urban area where it is difficult to buy affordable or good-quality fresh food. When we were incorporating the Garfield Park Farmers Market in 2016, there were very few local/healthy shopping options on the south side of downtown, especially in the immediate neighborhood we serve, Garfield Park. Our mission with GPFM is to provide local produce that is grown sustainably and help eliminate the barriers to access by offering food assistance programs at the market like WIC and SNAP. This was the primary motivation for starting this market!
It must take a lot of work to start a farmers market!What organizations and other local resources did you need to collaborate with to make the market a success?
It certainly does! We worked very closely with the Marion County Health Department and other existing markets like the City Market and Broad Ripple Farmers Market to assess our plan for opening. My co-founder and I were also on the Board of Slow Food Indy, where we could take our work from that organization and expand upon it. We also had the support of the Neighborhood Associations, Nonprofit Organizations in Garfield Park like Big Car, and of course, the support of Indy Parks!
Tell us about the Slow Food International principles and how they inform the workings of GPFM?
Our mission is to adhere to the Slow Food principles of "Good, Clean, Fair Food For ALL" - which means that we vet our Vendors to produce themselves only in Indiana and align with our standards of sustainability for their products. That means they must treat their animals humanely, grow without pesticides, etc., and cannot resell from another farm without our permission.
How does one determine what farmers and other local vendors to accept into a farmers market?
We have worked very hard to establish our Vendor Application and Guidelines with the input of many experienced farmers, artisans, community health leaders, and our Board of Directors. All vendors must meet our strict guidelines and get voted in by the Board based on our Nonprofit By-laws. We strive to achieve diversity of vendors and diversity of products, prioritizing returning vendors and those who bring something unique to our list of products.
Besides providing improved food access to the Southside, what else has the GPFM done for the community?
We are focused on bringing the community together around food. That includes education on health and wellness. We partner with the Parks to offer yoga during our market, and in the past, we have hosted organizations like Slow Food Indy and Indy Women In Food to give free cooking demos at our market. We also focus on bringing in Community Partners every week to provide information about their nonprofits and community-driven organizations.
What are some of the seasonal items you most look forward to?
Every year we get so excited to finally see the local fruit like strawberries, peaches, and tomatoes come into season. Late summer is also an exciting time when our local sweet corn vendors finally come. Vendors like Biltz Produce, Mad Farmers Collective, Arnold Farms, My Dads Sweet Corn and others bring the bounty every season! We really want to encourage customers to support these local farmers who work so hard to grow good food and showcase this amazing local produce representing the opposite of "big Ag" in the Heartland.
Amy Surburg
President, Hoosier Harvest Market {HHM}
Can you tell us about the HHM and how it operates?
The HHM is a farmer-owned co-op with about 25 farmer members, all from Indiana. We have been working together since 2013 to bring fresh Indiana farm products to our consumers. Our online retail store, Hoosier Harvest Market, sells to two different regions, central Indiana, on Thursdays with home delivery and pick-up points around our hub in Greenfield and southeast Indiana on Tuesdays with pick-up around the Batesville hub at Dotties Bulk Foods. We also sell wholesale to institutions and restaurants that value local foods!
What motivated you to join the co-op and eventually volunteer to lead as president of HHM?
I see HHM as a great networking and sales outlet for my farm, Berry Goods Farm. It creates opportunities for my farm to contribute to the community through the food access projects we do. I joined in 2015 and was elected president in 2016. I volunteered to help lead the HHM because I believe in the power of working together as a team, especially where small farm businesses are concerned!
What are some of the most memorable projects you have worked on while heading HHM?
During my time as president, the project closest to my heart is the Hoosier Harvest365 bags that we put together. We have been working with local hospitals, Hancock Regional in Greenfield and Margaret Mary in Evansville, to provide weekly produce bags for their patients in need. Last year, Hancock provided 45 families per week with produce – all of whom had a chronic illness and wanted to eat healthier. We also worked with Meals on Wheels to provide food for COVID relief for their clients who needed to avoid the grocery store.
What challenges did the traditional farmers market business model pose to you, and how does the unique HHM model alleviate those obstacles?
One of the main reasons I joined the co-op was because I thought an online platform for my products would be a great way to deliver them as fresh as possible. People order on our website, we pick to order and deliver through the co-op every week. With this method, I don't have any produce wasted! Selling online is also an excellent way to deliver produce without too much disruption in my family life. I have five children, who were pretty young when I started, so the idea of taking them to multiple farmer's markets every week or finding a babysitter for those five-hour chunks of time didn't appeal to me. I love that I can deliver my produce on Tuesdays and Thursdays and get back to farming, which I enjoy the most!
Can you tell us why you have decided to remain in the in-person farmers' markets as well as offering through HHM's delivery?
There is a lot of value in the ability to talk to my customers at the in-person farmers markets. I can learn what things they like, they can see the produce before they buy it, and many of my regular customers have become like family in the last few years. We have a lovely community in our vendors and regular customers at the Farmers Market at the Fairgrounds in Greenfield, which is my primary in-person market.
What are some of the seasonal items you most look forward to?
Well, of course, I'm biased toward strawberries. I love them – which is why we grow them at Berry Goods Farm! I also LOVE the peaches from Englebrecht's Orchard in July. They are better than what you get on the peach truck, and you're buying locally too! The Schulz family has been doing some great work in their community in Evansville, and I love supporting good people by buying their produce. Some of my other favorite things from our co-op are meats from Well Done Beef, Blue River Natural Foods, and Daisy Hill Farm. My family buys milk from Dandy Breeze every week. Their dairy in Sheridan, Indiana, is grass-fed jersey cattle, which makes some delicious milk!
MORE FUN READING? The Women of the Indianapolis Colts.
Victoria Beaty
Executive Director, Growing Places Indy {GPI}
Can you tell us about GPI and your role there?
I am the Executive Director for Growing Places Indy, a nonprofit organization located on the near Eastside, committed to building a more just and equitable food system in Indianapolis. Our small nonprofit works hard to accomplish this through urban agriculture, providing access to fresh local food, mind-body education, and entrepreneurship. {Click here to learn about GPI's four urban farms and plan your self-guided tour; did someone say free AND fun summer field trip?! Also, check out the locations of GPI's Farm Stands to get your Summer fix of affordable, fresh local fruits and veggies!}
How do you ensure the success of the GPI mission?
As the Executive Director, no two days are the same. I spend a lot of my time writing grants, planning ways to garner community engagement, meeting with community leaders, and supporting my team in any way possible. I ensure the success of our mission by staying connected to the community!
How do initiatives like the Food in Transit program with IndyGo improve the community's quality of life?
We are excited to partner with IndyGo to bring back theFood in Transit program for the fourth year at the Julia M. Carson Transit Center. This program is designed to meet IndyGo riders where they are to help combat food insecurity in Indianapolis. The goal of all our programs is to provide easier access to healthy foods in Indianapolis neighborhoods that need it most. To increase the accessibility of healthy food, the GPI Farm Stands, including the Food in Transit location, and our Winter Farmers Market, accept SNAP. All Snap recipients qualify for significant discounts on purchases of all GPI produce.
How does the Grow Getters Program improve urban agriculture, stimulate the local economy, and therefore create a more equitable food system?
For the last ten years, we've trained more than 100+ adults who have gone on to start their own successful farm business. Our Grow Getters program provides new and beginning farmers with hands-on farm training, mentoring, and other business development assistance to ensure that they can start their own agricultural business or expand an existing one with a greater chance for success. As the farming population grows older and young people choose city living, it's vital to develop more pathways to encourage young people to launch farm businesses, especially in urban areas. Embracing urban agriculture to improve food access, creating economic opportunities, and revitalizing communities can transform neighborhoods and even cities! Furthermore, developing the next generation of skilled farmers can offer opportunities for advancing equity.
What are some of the challenges facing GPI?
As a small but growing nonprofit, building capacity is one of our biggest challenges. We're thankful for the 300+ volunteers who help us on the farm and at our signature events. We are so excited to be growing as our community sees the impact of what we do and wants more from us! If individuals are interested in supporting our work through donations or volunteering, people can visit our website, Growing Places Indy, to learn more.
Clearly, it takes a village of dedicated people to pull off that whole farm-to-table concept AND keep it thriving in an urban setting! So whether you purchase your farm-fresh goods at the local farmers market, through a home delivery co-op, or an Urban Farm Stand, theCityMoms wants you to know there are accessible, sustainable, and affordable ways for you to feed your family.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Lisa Behnke is a Meridian Kessler based mother of two. She enjoys getting involved in her community from volunteering at her children’s’ schools to tutoring at Indy Reads. Lisa has been creating her own jewelry as a metalsmith for over 15 years and is encouraging her family’s artistic pursuits as well. Any given night she can be found subjecting her family to novel cuisines from sushi to moussaka.
