Homegrown
H a rv e s t i n g t h e Hoosier Brand BY MARY MCCLUNG | GRAPHICS BY CARYN SCHEVING
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lose your eyes and say “Indiana.” What their own Kroger brand milk. Kroger Any person or company has installed additional Indiana Grown image pops into your mind? Do you see row after row of green signage in each store, which helps make creating consumer products here buying local easier than ever before. plants growing to the horizon, with barns in Indiana can apply for free for One of the largest members of Indiand silos casting their silhouettes on the landan Indiana Grown membership. ana Grown is Red Gold, based out of scape? Do you see farmers’ markets selling small There are four categories of Orestes, with plants in Elwood and Gemountains of apples and kale … along with jars membership that help identify neva. All 8,000 acres of Red Gold toof honey, artisan oils and frozen meats? matoes are grown on local family farms sources, ingredients and manuIndiana is home to 15 million acres of farmand delivered directly from the field to land, making it a major player in the feeding of facturing status of labeled the processing plant during harvest seapeople across the globe. Although demand for products being sold to consumers: son. Family owned and operated, Red Indiana products is at an all-time high, we HooGold makes a variety of canned tomato siers only get about 10% of our food from our 100% Indiana – Products within this cateproducts sold around the world. The own Indiana farmers and producers. That numgory must be grown in Indiana and/or all company supports its home state and ber is on the rise, though, as consumers become ingredients must come from Indiana. its local Orestes/Elwood community more aware of how we eat and what we’re feedPrepared in Indiana – Product ingredients through major charitable donations, ing our kids. We are quickly moving away from can be sourced from anywhere, but 100% of and recently began an employee propre-packaged food items and are learning how to the production must be done in Indiana. gram to assist with the purchase of once again eat and drink locally and seasonally. Partner – Indiana Grown partners must be homes in the area. To foster that new understanding, how can companies or institutions that assist in Many Indiana Grown members Indiana’s food growers find a way to connect to marketing Indiana Grown products and operate on a smaller scale, including fellow Hoosiers, so more of us can make meals members. Bloomington’s Earth Drops Natural or buy merchandise in a way that’s mutually Handcrafted Soap Company (EarthIndiana Grown – This category beneficial for our families and for our Indiana applies to all other Indiana Grown Drops.com). Earth Drops hand-makes a businesses? Thanks to the efforts of some members. large variety of soaps for people and pets from all Indiana lawmakers and the Indiana Denatural ingredients. Their products can be found partment of Agriculture, we now have a in several western and southern Indiana stores. way: the Indiana Grown program. Another Indiana Grown member is Local Folks Foods Launched in July 2015, Indiana (LocalFolksFoods.com). All Local Folks products are made Grown is a collaborative membership right here in Central Indiana using produce and ingredients from that brings makers of Indiana foods regional farmers and gardeners and include pasta and meat sauces, and products together to help each mustard, ketchup and salsas. Local Folks Foods can now be found member grow and succeed, here at home and nationwide. Indiana in many Marsh and Kroger grocery stores, as well as some Whole Grown supports its members through marketing, opportunities to Foods locations. make new products, processing more food and growing the output If you live on your phone and love buying local, a new phone app of product in Indiana. It also works to educate consumers about why is on the horizon for Indiana Grown. The Indiana Grown Locator buying Indiana Grown products is important and worthwhile. app will allow buyers to scan UPC codes on product labels to learn Members of Indiana Grown include farms, retailers, restaurants, more about where the item came from and who produces it. The app breweries and distilleries, artisans and food processors, along with will be one of the first of its kind in the United States. large grocery and small local food stores. Products sold by Indiana Grown members display labeling that allows shoppers to easily idenFor more information about Indiana Grown, or to complete the free aptify local and locally resourced items, making it simpler to support plication, visit IndianaGrown.org. They are also on Facebook at Indiana Hoosier businesses and family farms. Grown and on Instagram @Indiana_Grown. Recognition and support of Indiana Grown has been swift. In September, one of the earliest supporters, Indiana’s Marsh Supermarkets, announced a partnership with Indiana Grown and placed kiosks in Mary McClung is a photographer and visual artist who resides in Indianapolis 50 stores that feature 100 Indiana Grown products. In October, Krowith her husband and their slightly saucy cat. Her professional work and fine art ger Co. followed suit, installing kiosks in every Indiana store. Kroger focus on the local Indy food scene, Central Indiana’s farm-to-table culture and the people who make it all happen. kiosks also feature local, Indiana Grown–labeled products, including edibleIndy.com
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