Saturdays 9 am - 12:30 pm * Urban Indianapolis, Near Eastside * November through April * Visit www.indywinterfarmersmarket.org for more info.
Kick off the new year with IndyHub and Indy Winter Farmers Market!
If you are a young professional or Indy Hubber, we hope you can join us for WinterFeast, a community night and dinner at the market with some of our vendors, on January 17, starting at 5:30pm.
We'll start the night by grabbing a Sun King brew at Tomlinson Tap Room before heading to City Market's west wing - the new, permanent location for IWFM. Hear how IWFM supports local farmers, Indy's local food movement and about IWFM's new food voucher program. Then, we'll break out into round table discussions and a family-style dinner made with ingredients from IWFM vendors and prepared by local chef Becky Hostetter and food blogger Sonja Overhiser. Dessert will be truffles made by Litterally Divine chocolatier Suzanne Litteral. Led by eight of the most influencial foodies in Indianapolis, you'll learn about urban farming, food creativity, trends in organics, and much more. After the discussion dinner, learn about how you can get involved while browsing a sample of IWFM vendors before ending your night back at Tomlinson Tap Room.
Enjoy this event for $20 at the door - we're only covering food cost and the rest goes to IWFM's voucher program!
Register here!
Local Food in Indiana: Where do we go from here?
Community Leaders & Local Farmers Answer at Slow Food Indy Annual Meeting
For more information, contact Slow Food Indy President Tyler Henderson: tylerhenders@yahoo.com
What: Slow Food Indy Annual Meeting & Pitch-In
When: Sunday, January 22, 2pm-4pm
Where: Wheeler Arts Community (1035 Sanders Street in Historic Fountain Square, Indianapolis)
What to bring: a dish to share and your own dining ware (plates, cups, utensils, etc.)
The Super Bowl may not be the biggest stimulus for the local economy this year.
Just before the end of last year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture released a report estimating locally grown foods to generate $7 billion dollars in 2011. With Indianapolis and the state poised to claim a big piece of that local food economy pie, it could make the short-term injection of even the Super Bowl's millions look like small potatoes.
While each Super Bowl ticket means short term investments of hotel stays and souvenir receipts, the USDA report concludes that "farmers’ markets have been found to have positive impacts on local economies." Citing Midwestern states' research, the report outlines how each dollar spent at farmers' markets brought an additional 58 cents of in-direct local spending and how two new full-time farmers' market jobs spurred the creation of an additional full-time job in another local sector.
Going to market is just the beginning, since the Indiana State Department of Agriculture reports that for every salary dollar earned by local farmers and food producers, more than 2.5 times that amount flows into a local economy.
As Indiana's unemployment rate teeters around the national 8.6% unemployed and the state of our economy is at the forefront of debate locally and nationally, the results of the USDA's report on local food's long-term cash infusion and job creation can't be ignored...even with the big game on the way.
Despite Indianapolis' renown as the cradle for aspiring chain restaurants (where lots of dollars leave the local economy), the city and surrounding communities are making changes that mean more jobs and more money stay in central Indiana. Within the last two years around Indianapolis, the number of farmers markets continues to increase, more and more urban lots are available for growing food, the city's first food co-op celebrated its one year anniversary, hospitals and businesses are partnering with local producers for fresh, local food, and locally-owned restaurants and retail shops receive national media attention for the quality of their locally-sourced dishes.
The local food accomplishments in Indianapolis' recent past are many, but where do we go from here and how can Indiana see even more benefit from what even the USDA recognizes as a strengthening segment of our economy?
Those are the questions a panel of local community leaders, cooks, and farmers will work together to answer during Slow Food Indy's annual meeting and pitch-in, Jan. 22, 2-4pm in the Wheeler Arts Community. Join Chef Neal Brown of The Libertine and PIzzology along with CEO and Medical Director of Wishard Health Services Dr. Lisa Harris and David Robb who manages Harvestland Farm, a Community Supported Agriculture where produce is tended and harvested by client-employees from the Aspire Indiana Behavioral Health System and Anderson University students. Also joining the panel is farmer Greg Gunthorp who turned his back on commercial agriculture to raise animals all-naturally which not only saved his farm but spurred the local economy as his operation grew to the largest true pasture poultry operation in the U.S. while chefs near and far praise the quality of his all-natural, humanely raised poultry and pork. Moderating the discussion is Laura Henderson, founder of the Indy Winter Farmers Market.
It's the in-season for local food in Indiana. Is our team ready for a winning season?
Growing Places Indy and the Indy Winter Farmers Market have partnered with the Bike Hub YMCA to offer four fitness and fundraising classes. Each class will be by-donation (suggested donation of $10, but any amount will be graciously accepted). Donations go to the Eat Well Initiative that makes it possible to use food stamps at the IWFM and distributes Veggie Bucks vouchers to low income and high health risk individuals to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at the IWFM. You do not need to be a member of the Y to attend these classes.
Did you know that Farmer Craig Brown teaches spinning and yoga? Or that market founder Laura Henderson and loyal IWFM volunteer Andrea Townley both teach yoga? It's true, and they are delighted to share their teaching talents to encourage you to Live Well while supporting others to Eat Well. We hope you'll come and join us!
January 21st @ 1-2 p.m.
Spinning + Yoga with Farmer Craig Brown
Join Craig for a 30 min spinning class followed by a 20 min yoga cool down. All levels are welcome.
February 11th @ 12-1 p.m.
Aligning with Love - Yoga Flow with Laura Henderson
Join Laura for a one hour yoga flow class that will encourage you to align your body, mind and spirit with a greater sense of love and passion for life as we approach Valentine's Day. All levels are welcome.
Mark your calendar for spinning class on March 10th with Deb Hirt and yoga class on April 14th with Andrea Townley. More details to come.
IWFM is a proud sponsor of the first Mayor's Polar Bear Pedal, which will happen on January 2, 2012. We need at least 10 people to help us start off the new year right with an invigorating ride from the Indy Bike Hub to the Major Taylor Velodrome and back. Enjoy coffee and snacks at 10a before we depart, and toast a pint at the Tomlinson Tap Room when we return. If you are interested in being on the IWFM team, email Molly at manager@indywinterfarmersmarket.org. Be sure your bike and winter gear are in working order beforehand by getting it checked out and prepped for the snow at BGI Downtown.
Please remember that the Indy Bike Hub and the YMCA in the East Wing of City Market have offered market-goers Free Bike Parking on Saturdays!
We hope that you will enter our Green Travel Raffle every week you bike, walk, or ride the bus to the market!
