Jackie Keller - Program Coordinator, KRC

I’m really excited to report that a Central Topeka Grocery Oasis (CTGO) Community Conversation is scheduled for Nov. 2 at Robinson Middle School. The event will update the community of nine neighborhoods about plans to build a store, dependent on a pending lease agreement with Grace Med Clinic who owns the property. Given CTGO’s enthusiasm for local food exposure, I’m coordinating with two veggie growers who are part of the Topeka Growers Group, one of which vends within CTGO boundaries and attended Robinson Middle School while growing up in Central Topeka. I’m also connecting CTGO to local growers for their Harvest Dinner Nov. 12 at Westminster Presbyterian Church, but I won’t be actively involved due to the KRC Conference.

Soon after my last Program Update was written for the Rural Papers in May, I was given a Town Tour of impressive revitalization projects in Humboldt, Allen Co. including the picturesque Garden School run by Diana Holmes who moved to the community of 2162 residents from Petaluma, CA. The garden is currently for preschoolers and second graders to learn about diverse plants and bugs while helping with the Pizza/Pollinator Gardens and play in the wind tower where edibles climb the wooden structure built by a local period-style furniture craftsman. A future Community Conversation will happen in Humboldt after the election, as my contact, Alana Cloutier, is running for office.

Desired agenda topics are:

1. Growth of local producers and the Farmers’ Market

2. How to attract food producers to the area

3. Education

4. Connecting the pieces- How can we work together? I think this last one is the biggest.

After the Humboldt tour, I met several affiliates at the Hunger Summit in Iola, who I’ve since viewed on many a zoom and even phone talked with a long-time community stakeholder, who convinced me to have a KRC info booth at Farm City Days in Iola on October 15, where approximately 4-5000 attended. The day before this festive annual event in Allen Co., I headed off to Mildred (pop. 23) and met with the owners of The Mildred Store and operator of Marmaton Market in Moran (pop. 479), which in 2018 was purchased by a group of individuals in the surrounding area who became members of The Marmaton Market. The Thrive Allen County Community Engagement Director joined our three-hour meeting where discussion focused on grocer issues and the planning of a future gathering inclusive of other area stores to investigate a future centralized “hub” for easier ordering, storage and pick-up.

Other engagement efforts centered around food stores have included the convenience store in Morton Co., Rolla Corner Stop’s proposed remodel to accommodate fruits/veggies. Resources were provided for grant funding ideas and “Stock Healthy, Shop Healthy,” a program that started in St. Louis then was expanded by the U. of MO, Columbia to help convenience stores incentivize healthy food purchases. The store in La Crosse recently closed but re-opened quickly, thanks to a community member stepping up to take it on. Ma & Pa’s Inc. in Ransom, Ness Co. did not have such a happy ending after closure on Aug. 31 and not enough funding from communities to reopen. A few weeks ago, I met with Mayor and City staff of Strong City where the grocery store closed a few years ago leaving Chase Co. without anywhere to buy groceries except Dollar General in Cottonwood Falls. Provided resources included free grant writing assistance through the Center for Public Partnerships & Resources (CPPR). 

Outside the grocery store realm, engagement efforts have involved the Kansas Association of Native American Education (KANAE) at Kansas State University. Thru the Executive Director, Alex Red Corn, College of Education-Department of Educational Leadership, I connected with Daryline Dayzie, who is Diné /Navajo from Arizona. While taking a tour, led by Dr. Jeremy Cowan, of KSU’s Willow Lake Student Farm on about the only rainy day in August, I viewed her intriguing research projects along with another graduate student’s unique plot, Olalekan Sipasi from Nigeria. Daryline is very thankful to her advisor Dr. Charles Barden, “he was the one that gave me this opportunity to do this research.” She plans to present on her research at the conference and write an article for the next Rural Papers.

On a gorgeous Saturday last month, I journeyed north on HWY 75 to the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Industrial Hemp Open House. I spoke with the CEO and the Operations Manager for Prairie Band Ag LLC about their produce production in one of their three greenhouses. I also listened to Kelly Rippel explain current hemp policy and production in KS. He was appointed to the industrial hemp advisory board under the Kansas Department of Agriculture and still serves in that role. Kelly will speak during our conference in the Alternate Crops and Innovative Cropping Systems breakout Sat. 10:45-12:15.

Ironically, just two days before this event on tribal land, my county Farm Service Agency (FSA) office contacted me about a hemp grower interested in organic certification, Allen Ratliff, who I called. During our phone conversation, I eventually asked if he’d be at the Open House? Yes! Allen’s been growing hemp in Shawnee Co. for several years and will complement Kelly’s presentation with hands on experience growing the crop. I told him of the Kansas Black Farmers Association meeting at KSU on Oct. 21 where I’ll be representing KRC. He’s excited to learn of the group and will now attend also.

Lastly, I’ve been communicating with Pete Pierson of the Kansas Specialty Crop Growers Association (KSCGA). He’s currently working with a handful of growers and markets in SW Kansas to build networking among them. KSCGA has a current database of 350+ growers, markets, etc. across the state, with active engagement with some 250. From Pete, I just learned of the Community Support Coordinator for the City of Lakin, Jenny White, who helped five (women) farmers catapult the Kearny County Farmers’ Market from just four vendors to sixteen in one year! At about the same time I heard this news, I also received application info for Health Champion Nomination for the Governor’s Council on Fitness Award. So, in a mad dash, I connected with Jenny and submitted nomination last Friday, the deadline. Nominees can be a local community that has adopted policies, offers programs, and provides accessible facilities/infrastructure to support access to physical activity, local foods and tobacco-free places. The group of growers were flattered, “Thanks so much for all of this- we all feel very honored to even have our work being talked about, let alone something inspiring enough to be nominated for this award!”

Come see Pete’s data base demo and hear the Kearny County Farmers’ Market success story during Saturday’s Community Spotlight session at the KRC conference Nov. 12 from 1-2:30 pm! Sessions will be available on-line for those who cannot attend in person.  

To contact Jackie about her work, please email Jackie@kansasruralcenter.org