The growing season is over for most of us, but that doesn’t mean we have to give up fresh greens, root vegetables, eggs or other locally grown food. We can go to winter farmers markets, which are sprouting up throughout Indiana. In the past two years, the number of winter farmers markets has grown from two to at least eight, according to an informal survey by Indiana Living Green.

Lauran Gady of Farming for Life sorts carrots at the Winter Green Market at Traders Point Creamery. © Lynn Jenkins

These winter markets offer fresh, local food, soaps and lotions. The markets also have lengthened the growing and selling season for farmers and artisans. Many of them grew more potatoes and other late-harvest food and they planted fall crops of lettuces and other greens. As a result, several farmers have extended their seasonal offerings for their Community Supported Agriculture, or CSA, subscribers.

Demand increases
The two-year-old Indianapolis Winter Farmers Market has grown from 22 vendors in its first year to 45 on opening day last November, said Tyler Henderson, who founded the market with his wife, Laura. The market also has moved to a new location in the last year.

Fresh greens are a staple at the Indianapolis City Market Winter Market, held Wednesdays through April. Photo courtesy Stevi Stoesz/Indianapolis City Market

The vendors would not be there if they didn’t think customers were there, he said. Teresa Birtles, who with her three daughters operates Heartland Family Farm in Bedford, is a regular at the Bloomington Winter Market, one of Indiana’s oldest. Last year, she added the Indianapolis venue, but ran out of goods to sell. “This year, we planned and planted more fall greens and more potatoes,” she said. That has helped extend the season for her 100 CSA subscribers, too.

This year, Heartland Family Farm will introduce its own line of heirloom seeds from the plants grown on Birtles’ seven acres in Lawrence County. The family does not grow hybrids. About one-half acre is devoted to an extensive cut-flower garden of annuals and perennials.

Traders Point tradition
Zionsville’s Traders Point Creamery, the oldest winter market in the Indianapolis area, adds value to the shopping experience with Fresh Breakfast on Saturday mornings from November through April. Like many farmers markets, no matter what the season, Traders Point has developed a large, strong community that relishes time in the Big Red Barn on Saturday mornings.

Winter Market © Lynn Jenkins

Bill Swanson of Valentine Hill Farm in Boone County, a long-time vendor of breads, rolls and cookies at Traders Point, added the Indianapolis Winter Farmers Market to his sales locations when it opened. Swanson’s production goes down in winter because he serves fewer markets. In summer, Swanson’s organic baked goods can be found at eight or nine farmers markets, while in winter, he’s at two.

Swanson, and his wife, ILG columnist Maria Smietana, operate the farm. Recently, they added a plastic hoop house to grow lettuces, greens and radishes for the markets and for their CSA subscribers.

The winter markets “are an incentive for farmers to go ahead and develop more fall crops and make the investment needed to extend the season,” Birtles said. Her farm has an 18- by 26-foot polycarbonate house with roll up sides. She uses it for growing crops in a protected environment early and late in the season.

Consumers notice
“The turnout from the public has been remarkable,” Henderson said of his Indianapolis winter market. “I couldn’t have envisioned the number of people. We’ve been averaging 1,500.” The success can be attributed in part to its new location, within one-mile of the city’s center. Last year, the market was about 2 1/2 miles from the center of town.

Winter Market © Lynn Jenkins

“Our goal was to be as close to downtown as possible, where we could draw from the neighborhoods, where people walked or rode their bikes,” he said. At least one shopper has become inspired.

“Since I got used to going to the Broad Ripple Farmers Market, I now buy more produce at the markets,” said Debra Denslaw, a law librarian in Indianapolis. “We’re blessed with several places for quality food, including the traditional chains. But the market has introduced me to things I probably wouldn’t have known about — bitter gourd and varieties of eggplant, for example. It has also made me much more mindful of the seasonal nature of fruits and vegetables. And getting good greens in the winter has inspired improvements and an expansion of my cold frame garden for this winter.”

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