Growers embrace higher temperatures, while demand continues to drop

Some farmers at the Bloomington Winter Farmers’ Market have found solace in the fruit that can produced in the mild winter.

“It has been such a mild winter that I have been able to grow things that I typically wouldn’t have been able to grow,” said Sarah McGee of Hartt and Farm. “We’ve seemed to have quite a bit of customers despite the winter season.”

The winter market — run by the Local Growers Guild of Southern Indiana, a cooperative of retailers and community members — exists to extend the farmers’ selling season year-round, as well as to increase the availability of fresh produce in the off-season.

People milled around the room, bartering and buying different goods, testing the mettle of the vendors. The atmosphere bubbled with sales as customers bought rolls, buns, plants, vegetables, eggs and other homemade, homegrown foods. Soaps and decorations were also for sale.

Endeavoring to increase sales, vendors put on happy smiles and created casual conversations with even the most irritable of customers.

“As far as markets go, we’re pretty steady,” said Mark Hostetler, a vendor at the Winter Farmers’ Market. “I’m pretty content with our sales.”

Hostetler said he hopes his steady sales will continue through March, which is the end of the Winter Farmers’ Market season. Every Saturday morning until then, he will be at Harmony School selling his product.

While most vendors claimed to be doing well with their winter sales, others have not been as lucky this winter.

“We’re down about a third from what we were last year in sales,” said Linda Stout, a representative for Stout’s Melody Acres. “I really hope things pick up, but it doesn’t really look like it will.”

Stout’s Melody Acres is a 90-year-old organic produce farm and greenhouse located in Franklin, Ind., where about 100 acres of produce are grown. Owning several greenhouses, as well, Melody Acres grows its produce organically without applying commercial insecticides, pesticides or herbicides.

“We try to keep up with things but, being winter, it’s hard to sell good produce,” Stout said.   

Like most of the farmers at the market, Stout’s Melody Acres is a family operation. It switched from corn and soybean production to produce and greenhouse products in 2000, which led the Stouts to different markets throughout Indiana.

Sales have been up and down this winter for farmers, depending mostly on the type of good they are trying to sell.

As she sells jam, dried flowers and general kitchen ingredients, McGee said she can’t complain about sales.

“Sales have definitely been surprisingly good for winter,” McGee said. “I hope they continue to go this well.”

The winter farmers’ market is held from 9 a.m. to noon Saturdays in Harmony School, which is located at 909 E. Second St.