Findlay Market Fund to support low-income urban produce growers

One year ago Findlay Market began its Cultivating Healthy Environments for Farmers (CHEF) program.  The program was seen as an opportunity to recruit and train new urban growers while also complimenting the city's Urban Gardening Program.

Since then the program's reach has grown and so has its impact.  As a result additional resources are needed to help support an ongoing program that produces over 30 different produce offerings at four locations throughout the city, including a new two-thirds of an acre plot in OTR and then sold at Findlay Market.  The program focuses on low-income residents and has dozens of apprentices from Over-the-Rhine, the West End, College Hill and St. Leo's Catholic Parish.

In April 2010, Ken Stern, Urban Farm Manager for Findlay Market, explained that once the initial grant money ran out from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, they intended to keep the program going.  To help out, local culinary rock stars including Julie Francis from Nectar, Jean-Robert de Cavel from the Midwest Culinary Institute, and Joanne Drilling from Murphin Ridge Inn have stepped up to support the 2010 Findlay Fund Drive.

"Last year the project trained and equipped four low income urban growers, who farmed on four vacant lots near the market and sold produce at the farmers market," Stern explained.  "In 2010, more than two dozen urban farmers will grow food on over three acres of vacant land in the city of Cincinnati. Their work will create supplemental income for their families, increase the availability of nutritious local food at Findlay Market’s farmers markets, and benefit our environment by creating green space and reducing the carbon footprint of the food we eat."

The growing program also compliments the growth at Findlay's farmers market.  Since 2005, Findlay Market has seen its market operations increase from once a week with 17 participating farmers, to three days a week with more than 50 participating farmers.

With this success the market has decided to make it a more formal endeavor called Findlay Market Farms, and donations to the fund will buy tools, seeds, water, and training for the urban growers.

Tax deductible donations can be made online to the Findlay Market Fund, or by calling (513) 665-4839.

Writer: Randy A. Simes
Photography by Scott Beseler
Stay connected by following Randy on Twitter @UrbanCincy