How Slow is Your Food?

Written by: Chelsea Marburger

Events/Promotions Intern at Indianapolis City Market

Indianapolis City Market @IndyCM

We all know what fast food is but what about “slow food”? The slow food movement started back in the 80s when people realized that not only were people eating poorly, but interest in what we were putting into our bodies, where it was coming from, and how it was being prepared was at an all-time low. The slow food movement has gained major publicity in the U.S. due to a large increase in farmers markets, CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture), and pick-your-own operations. Fundamental to the slow food movement is the concept of “eco-gastronomy – a strong recognition of the relationship between plate and planet.”

The number of farmers markets has increased dramatically in the past 5-10 years; the 2006 count was 4,385 whereas the count in 2012 was 7,864. Farmers markets are a benefit to all those involved. The Original Farmers’ Market at City Market is in its 16^th season of providing fresh, locally- grown produce to downtown communities that wouldn’t have it otherwise. Farmers markets also allow farmers and producers to sell directly to their consumers which establishes better pricing systems for customers and higher sales for producers. Over the past couple of years, there has also been an increased effort by the USDA to push farmers markets to accept different types of government-funded programs such as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) to encourage healthy eating habits and to change purchasing patterns of low-income individuals.

The popularity of CSAs has also spiked in recent years. CSAs live up to their name by creating a relationship between consumers and their locally-grown goods. Buyers interested in being part of a CSA purchase a subscription to a particular garden or farm and experience the successes and the pitfalls of farming in that they are provided only what the farm is able to produce. CSAs will typically specialize in a specific type of product as well. Indianapolis-based Big City Farms specializes in heirloom produce whereas near south side’s South Circle Farm produces vegetables, herbs, berries, and plants.

The “slow food” movement is gaining steam every season and every harvest. Families concerned with the health of their children, people recovering from illness, and just every day people wanting to stay fit and healthy are shopping locally to support their bodies and their local economies. In addition, the slow food movement provides for “clean” farming techniques, fair producer wages and a return to communal and convivial relationships to food and each other. For more information on the slow food movement, farmers markets, CSAs, and the organizations mentioned, please visit their websites listed below.

Indianapolis City Market @IndyCM: www.indycm.com

Big City Farm: www.bigcityfarmsindy.com

South Circle Farm: www.southcirclefarm.com

Stonycreek Farm Nursery & Landscaping participates in the 55th Annual Indiana Flower & Patio Show

Step into Spring with Stonycreek Farm Nursery & Landscaping at the 55th Annual Indiana Flower & Patio Show as they participate in saluting springtime and 55 years of garden excellence Saturday, March 9 through Sunday, March 17 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds’ West Pavilion & Expo Hall. Stonycreek Farm will be among the 41 feature exhibitors who will each design and display a showcase garden at Indiana’s finer outdoor living show for gardening enthusiasts.

The theme of the 2013 Indiana Flower & Patio Show is “It’s Elemental!” exploring the 5 basic elements of nature:  earth, wood, metal, fire and water. Each designer will incorporate uses of these elements within their featured spaces and implement a conservation element, relevant to today’s living environments …to give Mother Earth the extra boost she needs to continue to thrive for many generations to come!

This year’s Stonycreek exhibitor garden will feature eco-friendly elements such as recycled materials and drought resistant plants and trees that can be incorporated into outdoor living spaces. With Indiana’s recent drought conditions, a self-sustaining drip watering system will be showcased for efficient landscaping. As a result of last summer’s drought, for the first time in 40 years, Stonycreek Farm germinated pumpkins in greenhouses in preparation for their 40^th Annual Pumpkin Harvest Festival in October. Thanks to a proactive germination program, the seedlings were then planted in the field and maintained with a water truck, providing a bountiful yield despite extreme drought conditions.

Stonycreek’s designers and key staff will be onsite throughout the show; attendees can register for home consultations, talk one-on-one with an expert and are encouraged to bring photos of challenging landscape areas. Tickets can be purchased at the door for $12 and children 12 and under are free. The show offers a Blow-Out Sale the final Sunday (5-6:30 p.m.) with great savings on plant materials, hardscapes, structures, decorative pieces and more. Event information including a coupon for $3 off admission to the show can be found at: http://hsishows.com/wp/indianaflowerandpatioshow/about-the-show/.

A Central Indiana springtime tradition, the Indiana Flower & Patio Show has been one of the nation’s most renowned outdoor living shows for over 50 years, with more than 100,000 guests attending each year. In addition to the feature exhibitor gardens crafted by many of Indiana’s premier landscapers, more than 400 finer outdoor living experts, displays encompassing the latest and greatest in landscaping trends, and dozens of educational programs will cover over 250,000 square feet of the State Fairgrounds’ West Pavilion & Expo Hall. Visitors come for the gardens, but stay to learn about, compare, and purchase premium outdoor living products and services with thousands of ideas to take home.

 

55th Annual Indiana Flower & Patio Show

Indiana State Fairgrounds, West Pavilion & Expo Hall

1202 E. 38th Street, Indianapolis, Indiana 46205

Saturday, March 9 through Sunday, March 17

Monday-Saturday: 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. & Sunday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

 

About Stonycreek Farm Nursery & Landscaping:

What began as a small pumpkin patch in 1972 has grown into a full-service nursery and landscaping business. Named after the creek, which meanders through its property, Stonycreek was a Native American trade route in the 1860s and the site of an old gristmill. Steeped in great American history, still standing on the old farmstead are the original house, the bank barn, blacksmith shop and buggy barn. Stonycreek Farm Nursery & Landscaping is located two mile east of Noblesville at 11366 State Road 38 East, 46060. For more information, call (317) 773-3344 or visit www.stonycreekfarm.net.