Our Mission: To be the driving force for building a market for locally produced foods and to be a catalyst for change to improve the health of residents in the Laughery Valley and the environs.
Our Vision: By promoting the use of locally grown produce, the Food and Growers Association supports family farms, safeguards the community's health, strengthens local economy and protects our environment.
FGA NEWS
The Batesville Farmers' Market opens May 8th, 8-11 a.m. See Our Programs for listing of area farmers' markets.
The Batesville Community Garden is ready to grow! Are you interested in gardening but limited on space? The BCG has a 4' x 40' plot available for rent. There is also land for additional plots. The garden is located on State Road 46 near the YMCA. If you are interested, please call FGA contact, Chris, at 812-934-6590 or e-mail contact@foodandgrowers.org.
Matt Nobbe, owner of Five Oaks Lawn and Garden, offers advice at the Vegetable Gardening 101 presentation, April 15, 2010 sponsored by Margaret Mary Community Hospital and the FGA.
The Food and Growers Association held our 4th annual conference for producers: Time to Grow. Over 50 people attended the all day seminar held at the Batesville Middle School Commons. The FGA steering team would like to thank all of those businesses and individuals who helped make the event such a success. They include: Margaret Mary Community Hospital, Lil Charlie's Steak House and Grill, The Laughery Valley Growers, Inc, Schmidt Bakery, Safe-a-Lot grocery store, Signature Designs, Merkel Goat Farm and Ye Olde Farmhouse Gifts, Michaela Farms, Dottie's Bulk Foods, Cartwright Plant Care, Monty's Plant Food, Hillcrest Golf and Country Club.
Our speakers who donated their time included Matt Ewer and John Freeland of Farm Fresh Delivery located in Indianapolis and Cincinnati, Shawwn Storms, CPA of Argresta, Storms and O'Leary, Dan Wilson and Scott Monroe, Purdue Extension agents.
We would also like to extend a thank you to the Batesville Community School Corporation, BatesvilleMiddle School and their staff.
Thanks to everyone for their continued commitment to our community.
Photos from Growing Our Community with Food: Opportunities for Restaurants, Grocery Stores, Schools, Farms and Health Care Organizations held December 1, 2009
The evening included appetizers and desserts featuring locally grown food, a short meeting to elect FGA officers and a panel discussion lead by Roy Ballard, Purdue Extension Educator.
The Food and Growers Association of Laughery Valley and Environs recently received recognition at the INShape Indiana annual summit held on September 29th at IndianaStateUniversity. INShape Indiana is Governor Mitch Daniel's program to improve the health of Indiana citizens and communities. Daniels launched INShape Indiana in 2005 to challenge Hoosiers to eat better, move more and avoid tobacco.
The theme of this year's conference was "Healthy Lifestyles, Healthy Communities," showcasing strategies and resources available to improve the health of smaller communities. ISU hosted the conference.
Daniels spoke at the conference and applauded all of the organizations around the state, including the FGA, for their creativity and initiative. Referring to the national health care debate, Daniels said the most important thing Indiana citizens can do is to take better care of themselves so they don't require as much health care in the first place, he said.
"The greatest health care reform imaginable would be to reform person by person, school by school, town by town, business by business in the way we live our lives in the first place so we need less health care at each stage of life," he said.
FGA was invited to the summit because of our selection last year by the Indiana University School of Nursing as an organization promoting a healthier community.
Kathy Cooley, president, and Patty Reding, vice president, presented a breakout session at the summit and are shown here receiving the award from State health commissioner Judith Monroe, MD, and Governor Mitch Daniels. Over 50 people attended the breakout session. Our audience included city planners, public health officials, health professionals and students. The presentation was very well received. The summit and the enthusiasm for our organization at the state level confirmed that we have a great responsibility to continue with our mission of promoting a sustainable, local food system.
Please join our organization to show your support for our program.
