Near Northeast Community Supported Agriculture Program

Project Overview

FNC20-1220
Project Type: Farmer/Rancher
Funds awarded in 2020: $7,525.00
Projected End Date: 01/31/2022
Grant Recipient: Soul Food Project
Region: North Central
State: Indiana
Project Coordinator:
Danielle Guerin
Email
Soul Food Project

Information Products

Commodities

Not commodity specific

Practices

  • Education and Training: youth education
  • Farm Business Management: community-supported agriculture, farmers' markets/farm stands, market study
  • Production Systems: organic agriculture
  • Sustainable Communities: analysis of personal/family life, community development, employment opportunities, leadership development, quality of life, urban agriculture

    Proposal summary:

    The Northeast side of Indianapolis has been a food desert for over 20 years only just receiving a small grocery store in 2016. Many residents still rely on fast food establishments or take the bus to the nearest grocery store which is a 30 minute trip. While economic viability for my operation is important, I want to be a socially responsible as possible and my focus is on improving the quality of life for the community that I operate in. 

    To solve this problem we want to try two different direct marketing solutions: subsidized community supported agriculture program and a farmer’s market. We will trial 10 shares with a sliding fee scale, with shares being as low as $10. We will also guide the community in planning a biweekly farmers market in order to help strengthen the local economy and capture the audience that we can’t serve with the CSA. We chose these two options because a CSA can take away the uncertainty of picking out fresh produce while a farmers market gives us the opportunity to educate a wider audience. 

    Project objectives from proposal:

     

    Survey 50 households with the community needs food security assessment. 

    Establish a 12 week CSA program that serves 10 families between June and October.

    Host 2 nutrition/cooking workshops to educate families 

    Create a toolkit  for other farms/organizations  to use that includes how-to's, recipe cards, and resources for families

     

     

    Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or SARE.