Community Snapshots: An Overview of the KRC Conference Session
At this year’s Food and Farm Conference, I hosted the Community Snapshots session inviting local food providers to highlight their operations.Representing the KS Specialty Crops Growers Ass. (KSCGA), Pete Pierson kicked off the session with snapshots of production, sales, reach, impact and potential impact.
Among growers highlighted was Teck Farms, an organic six-acre urban farm in Hutchinson who’s had success with grant funding. They’ve demonstrated remarkable processing/storage infrastructure and a proactive approach to local schools and hospitals. They are a 501 (c) (3) set up for education providing learning for food safety requirements. Next, Pete showed gorgeous photos of mouthwatering melons, pumpkins, peaches and sweet corn from Depot Market in Courtland, one of the largest producers in the North Central region. Depot Market is a wholesaler, supplying markets across the state and intake for smaller growers (realized and potential), and they are a Farm Market too- the only source for groceries in over 35 miles!
More of Pete’s slides exhibited Wichita’s impressive Rise Farms, a 15,000 square- foot urban farm and a 204-panel solar farm situated on the roof of the Fidelity Bank building equipped with food prep facilities. Local markets are supplied helping to fill the gap of no grocery store in urban Wichita, along with restaurants, an on-site market (Firefly) and a food hub gearing up for input from regional growers. Also fulfilling a hungry demand of Wichita restaurants is TLC Nursery in Independence, where brilliant gourmet mushrooms are produced.
Readers may remember the success story of the Kearny County Farmers Market which is now introducing monthly “Winter Crates” of local produce, frozen meat, eggs, baked and dry goods with optional culinary classes educating customers/the public on how to utilize local produce at home. The collective, which grew from 4 to 16 growers, provides active outreach, networking, education, and exploration (trials) to expand production and diversity. The City of Lakin Community Support Coordinator is linking the market and growers to community/ economic development.
Enthusiastic Vickee Spicer told the story of Prairie Land Market in Salina which started as a Local Cooperative in the 70s. A CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) began in 2016 and prepared food is also now offered. A new board formed in 2020 and by early 2022, 501 (c)(3) status was obtained. The transition from co-op to charitable organization involved reinvestment in community, educational purpose, tax-deductible donations and federal income tax exemption. Objectives include expansion of the CSA, moresupport for farmers including new farmers, healthy/local choices, working with the Community Resilience Hub at Wesleyan, education thru cooking and preserving. Pictures displayed a futuristic new store planned for fall 2023 which will move the location to the newly developed business district in downtown Salina on Santa Fe Avenue!
Last up was Jessica L. Kootz, a very up-beat Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent for Midway Extension District which serves Ellsworth and Russell counties. Jessica showed off fun cooking swag used to help promote the Simply Produce program which incentivizes purchase of fresh fruits and vegetables from local grocers. During the pandemic, Jessica and other community stakeholders strategized ways to make Simply Produce Ellsworth County work during a pandemic and ensure the program had sustainability and longevity. The program has been going strong since September 2020 and continues to reach new households each month. It has brought together a variety of community partners: American Legion Post 174, Ellsworth County Economic Development, Ellsworth County Medical Center, and most importantly Gene’s Heartland Foods in Ellsworth. These connections have proven invaluable to the success of the local Simply Produce program!