September with the FARMWISE Indiana Team
Each month we ask our Team to share a few highlights of their regional food system work from their perspective. It’s hard to capture all of the meetings, Connections, farm visits, and meaningful conversations into one blog post, but a few highlights from September are below!
Becky Landes NE Indiana Value Chain Professional
For Becky, September was a time for follow-ups, new connections, reconnections, and learning. Part of a Value Chain Professional's work is to pause and take the pulse of existing relationships. This can be done by phone, text, email, or a quick visit. A few simple questions, such as "How are you doing?" "How has your harvest been?" "What have been your successes?" and "Are there any challenges I can help you with?" let Becky know whether the relationship between the seller and buyer is going smoothly.
Continued FARMWISE Connections meetings remain a good way to connect, build new relationships, and reconnect with those you might not have spoken with in a while. Becky hosted FARMWISE Connections meetings in Nappanee, Pierceton, New Castle, and Ligonier. Attendees were both new and returning connections seeking to have specific conversations about a need or opportunity they had.
Becky also serves on the board of the Northeast Indiana Local Food Network and is a member of the Food Hub subcommittee. Her work on this committee focuses on learning about Food Hubs and the many forms they take. Aggregation and Food/Farm Hubs play a vital role in supplying local food in larger quantities to meet the demands of institutional buyers. Understanding how each group meets the needs of the communities in which they operate will facilitate future discussions about Food Hubs in Northeast Indiana.
Indiana Department of Education's Culinary Skills Training for Farm to School at The Kitchen in Logansport was another learning experience for Becky. During this training, school food service staff had the opportunity to learn new skills, cook dishes with locally grown ingredients, and taste their creations. All of this was done at the new training and shared kitchen in Logansport.
Jen Musall, NW Indiana Value Chain Professional
September gave Jen the opportunity to meet with partners in Northwest Indiana, throughout the state, and across the country.
Jen kicked off a month of learning and collaboration at the Indiana Hunger Summit in Indianapolis. There she was able to meet with regional partners like the Food Bank of Northern Indiana, Food Finders Food Bank and so many more who are navigating the needs of Hoosiers. While Jen was in Indianapolis, colleagues participated in Fort Wayne and Evansville, across all locations there were discussions related to the role local farmers and producers play in the food system. Then the next day Jen traveled across western Indiana for FARMWISE Connections in Putnam and Vigo Counties. These gatherings provide an opportunity to support local growers, buyers, and the small businesses where they are hosted.
The month continued with meetings with schools and connections to local farmers, including through Region Roots Food Hub for Indiana Food Day. Jen also attended the Indiana Farm Bureau Farm Business & Diversification Conference to learn more about what Hoosier farmers and farm businesses are doing throughout the state. Mid month was the Northern Region Farm to School Action Planning Workshop held in Marshall County. There a group of Food Service Directors, Agriculture and Culinary Arts teachers, Farmers, Community Partners, and Local Food Advocates gathered to establish regional priorities for Farm to School. This was also a great opportunity for partners to meet and discuss further opportunities to collaborate. At the end of the workshop participants that received grant awards were able to take home their selected farm to school items for implementation in their schools or organizations.
Lastly, Jen attended the Midwest & Mountain Plains Farm to School Summit in St Paul, Minnesota. There she and partners, Parkview Health and Indiana Grown, were able to learn from peers from across 13 states along with national partners. This opportunity was available due to the work of the Indiana Grown for Schools Network. They were able to visit two farms that supply schools, a variety of institutions, food hubs, and local retail stores including grocers. Each farm was able to share their story of how they have worked with the Minneapolis Public Schools to increase and sustain local foods on trays. The Summit created a collaborative environment for Jen and attendees to hear from panelists doing the work and ask direct questions to bring new opportunities home to Indiana. Jen was also able to share more about FARMWISE Indiana’s Value Chain work with interested peers from other states.
September provided Jen with many examples of how we can strengthen Indiana’s food economy by equipping farmers, buyers, and supply chain partners with the connections, knowledge, and coordination needed to expand access to locally grown food across the state.
Robin Kitowski, SW Indiana Value Chain Professional
September was a busy month for Robin in Southern Indiana and beyond.
Robin spent two days at the Southeastern Grain Gathering, held in the stunning and historic Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill in Harrodsburg, Kentucky. In attendance were farmers, researchers, millers, maltsters, bakers, brewers, distillers, chefs, and consumers from the region dug into what it takes to make diversified grain systems work. The sponsor of the event, The Ohio Valley Grain Exchange, exists to build resilient regional grain economies by coordinating learning, absorbing risk early, and creating markets that reward stewardship, quality, and fair returns to farmers.
Robin also stopped by the Bloomington Farm Stop Collective just as an apple delivery was underway from Olde Lane Orchard in Odon to Paoli's Lost River Coop, but also for a Southern Indiana chef, and volunteers at Heartwood. This is our Indiana value chain in action!
Lastly, she joined food service professionals gathered at the North Daviess County Schools for a culinary training day with chef educator, Dan Marek, who covered best practices for handling and cooking local, farm-fresh produce. Thanks to the Indiana Department of Education and the Indiana Grown for Schools Network for an afternoon of learning and tasting.
Pete Vissar, SE Indiana Value Chain Professional
In the last days of August, Pete attended the Indiana Small Business Administration (SBA) roundtable discussion at Huber Orchard and Winery. There was a good mix of business owners including technology companies, wineries, meat processors, produce farmers and industrial businesses. The discussion soon turned toward farming. Some of the questions being asked focused on the unnecessary costs, paperwork and barriers new farmers are facing. These are problematic issues that can either chase interested people away from farming or eventually become too much of a financial strain that starting a farm no longer seems like a viable option. This was an opportunity to hear directly from people while also seeing how many of the challenges facing agriculture are similar to those facing other small businesses.
September was full of conversations focusing on how important it is to connect community needs with local food. This month was exciting because Pete is working with tomato and apple growers in the region to supply K-12 cafeterias. Whether it is for a day or a continuation throughout the school year, kids get to enjoy and learn about what is growing in their surrounding communities. In addition, Taco Tuesdays just got better for some schools as they are now using local beef. These are some great examples of strengthening the local economy while providing future generations with local and healthier options.
September closed with a road trip to Daviess County for the Culinary Skills Farm to School Training put on by Indiana Grown for Schools. The 2 day training highlighted the importance of incorporating local foods into schools menus. It is great to see a transformation taking place in schools that become more and more open to local products featured on their menus.
Onward to October!
