Homegrown

Homegrown Harvesting the Hoosier Brand

BY MARY MCCLUNG | GRAPHICS BY CARYN SCHEVING

Close your eyes and say “Indiana.” What image pops into your mind?

Do you see row after row of green plants growing to the horizon, with barns and silos casting their silhouettes on the landscape? Do you see farmers’ markets selling small mountains of apples and kale … along with jars of honey, artisan oils and frozen meats?

Indiana is home to 15 million acres of farmland, making it a major player in the feeding of people across the globe. Although demand for Indiana products is at an all-time high, we Hoosiers only get about 10% of our food from our own Indiana farmers and producers. Th at number is on the rise, though, as consumers become more aware of how we eat and what we’re feeding our kids. We are quickly moving away from pre-packaged food items and are learning how to once again eat and drink locally and seasonally.

To foster that new understanding, how can Indiana’s food growers fi nd a way to connect to fellow Hoosiers, so more of us can make meals or buy merchandise in a way that’s mutually benefi cial for our families and for our Indiana businesses? Th anks to the eff orts of some Indiana lawmakers and the Indiana Department of Agriculture, we now have a way: the Indiana Grown program.

Launched in July 2015, Indiana Grown is a collaborative membership that brings makers of Indiana foods and products together to help each member grow and succeed, here at home and nationwide. Indiana Grown supports its members through marketing, opportunities to make new products, processing more food and growing the output of product in Indiana. It also works to educate consumers about why buying Indiana Grown products is important and worthwhile.

Members of Indiana Grown include farms, retailers, restaurants, breweries and distilleries, artisans and food processors, along with large grocery and small local food stores. Products sold by Indiana Grown members display labeling that allows shoppers to easily identify local and locally resourced items, making it simpler to support Hoosier businesses and family farms.

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 50 stores that feature 100 Indiana Grown products. In October, Kroger Co. followed suit, installing kiosks in every Indiana store. Kroger kiosks also feature local, Indiana Grown–labeled products, including

their own Kroger brand milk. Kroger Any person or company has installed additional Indiana Grown creating consumer products here signage in each store, which helps make in Indiana can apply for free for buying local easier than ever before. an Indiana Grown membership. There are four categories of membership that help identify One of the largest members of Indiana Grown is Red Gold, based out of Orestes, with plants in Elwood and Geneva. All 8,000 acres of Red Gold tosources, ingredients and manu- matoes are grown on local family farms facturing status of labeled and delivered directly from the fi eld to products being sold to consumers: the processing plant during harvest season. Family owned and operated, Red 100% Indiana – Products within this cate- Gold makes a variety of canned tomato gory must be grown in Indiana and/or all products sold around the world. Th e ingredients must come from Indiana. company supports its home state and

Prepared in Indiana – Product ingredients can be sourced from anywhere, but 100% of its local Orestes/Elwood community through major charitable donations, the production must be done in Indiana. and recently began an employee pro-

Partner – Indiana Grown partners must be gram to assist with the purchase of homes in the area. companies or institutions that assist in Many Indiana Grown members marketing Indiana Grown products and members. operate on a smaller scale, including Bloomington’s Earth Drops Natural

Indiana Grown – This category Handcrafted Soap Company (Earthapplies to all other Indiana Grown Drops.com). Earth Drops hand-makes a members. large variety of soaps for people and pets from all natural ingredients. Th eir products can be found in several western and southern Indiana stores. Another Indiana Grown member is Local Folks Foods (LocalFolksFoods.com). All Local Folks products are made right here in Central Indiana using produce and ingredients from regional farmers and gardeners and include pasta and meat sauces, mustard, ketchup and salsas. Local Folks Foods can now be found in many Marsh and Kroger grocery stores, as well as some Whole Foods locations. If you live on your phone and love buying local, a new phone app is on the horizon for Indiana Grown. Th e Indiana Grown Locator app will allow buyers to scan UPC codes on product labels to learn more about where the item came from and who produces it. Th e app will be one of the fi rst of its kind in the United States. For more information about Indiana Grown, or to complete the free application, visit IndianaGrown.org. Th ey are also on Facebook at Indiana Grown and on Instagram @Indiana_Grown. Mary McClung is a photographer and visual artist who resides in Indianapolis with her husband and their slightly saucy cat. Her professional work and fi ne art focus on the local Indy food scene, Central Indiana’s farm-to-table culture and the people who make it all happen.