Greetings to everyone--customers, vendors, volunteers, our landlord, our neighbors--who have supported the Farm to Fork Market at Normandy Farms for the past three seasons. The market continues to be here because of your commitment to healthy, locally-grown food.

Farm to Fork Market at Normandy Farms is not the largest farmer's market in Indiana, but it may well be the most unique. As many of you know, we are the sole farmer's market in the state that allows only organic or chemical-free food and household products to be sold. Vendors must produce what they sell. Our high standards are enforced by pre-admission interviews, a comprehensive application, a signed affidavit and farm inspections. We admit only small family farmers and artisan food businesses from within Indiana, as we believe strongly in building local economies and keeping the smallest possible distance between where food is grown and where it is eaten.

We are one of the few year-round farmer's markets in the nation, which helps our vendors make it through the harsh Midwest winters, and provides our customers with continuous access to farm fresh food.

Not surprisingly, we have gained an extremely loyal and devoted clientele. Our customers remind us frequently how important it is for them to be able to buy food that is "free of question marks."

Now it's time to take our small, grass-roots operation to the next level. So far, vendor fees, donations, and inputs of personal cash by the Market Manager (me) have paid the rent and the liability insurance.  We need more cost-effective advertising to attract a greater customer pool, thereby increasing sales and improving vendor retention. We need to recruit more vendors to offer a wider variety of locally-grown food, without raising vendor fees.  We need to purchase signage, and pay small stipends to our volunteer staff. Most importantly, we need to look to the future, and find creative ways to underwrite the long-term financial stability of this unique community asset.

The good news is this: it doesn't take a king's ransom to do what we need to do. A farmer's market like ours can run efficiently and effectively on about $15,000 a year.  We have about 850 fans on the Farm to Fork Facebook Page, and nearly 400 subscribers to our weekly e-newsletter. Allowing for some overlap, there are about 1,000 of you out there right now that love this market. That means if each of you gives only $20 to this campaign, our goal will be met.

By starting small, with this crowd-funding campaign, we hope to raise a year's worth of revenue, and have a small cushion of reserves. The lessons we learn and people we reach will no doubt be invaluable in guiding us toward our next level of growth and financial sustainability.

We thank you in advance for your support!

Gratefully,

Maria Smietana, the vendors, and the volunteers of Farm to Fork Market at Normandy Farms.

https://www.facebook.com/FarmtoForkMarketatNormandyFarms/photos_stream
P.S. Good deeds should be acknowledged. The three largest donors will receive a framed 8x10 photograph of one of the iconic Normandy Farm buildings, taken by a leading Indianapolis photographer.

The five next-level donors will receive a set of six limited-edition holiday ornaments featuring scenes from the farm.

All donors (except those requesting anonymity) will be publically acknowledged on a sign displayed at market.