My Experience with Local Farms and Farmer's Markets
In Ohio, we are lucky because our state is known for our seemingly endless corn fields, farms, places that promote local food production. I frequent my local farmer's market, a branch of an organization called North Union Farmer's Market at the Shaker Square location. This organization is "Northeast Ohio's largest network of certified producer-only farmers markets" (North Union Farmers Market). This means that the vendors and farmers that participate in their markets are all involved in a certification process that establishes them as local or organic farms. It has also been cites as one of America's Top 10 Farm Markets in the 'Big City' category, one out of 7,500 other farmers markets, and one of the Top 10 Small Markets (American Farmland Trust). This market also has "more than 300 local family farms, artisans, and other small businesses that regularly participate in [their 10] markets" that expand throughout the city of Cleveland (North Union Farmers Market).
I work at Mitchell's Ice Cream and have been fortunate enough to have gone through a long Montessori education. Both of these places promote local and small businesses, educate their students and employees on the importance of one's carbon footprint, and the need for protection of one's environment. At both places I have been able to visit various local farms in Ohio and experience what an organic and locally producing farmer, and his space, looks like. For example, Mulberry Creek Herb Farm, which is a USDA Organic certified farm located in Huron, Ohio. Their family owned farm has been running since 1989 but their farming history dates back 7 generations all the way in Germany (Mulberry Creek Herb Farm). It's run by Mark and Karen Mulberry who not only maintain their farm but they also go out into the Cleveland area and give talks about sustainable farming and the importance of organic and locally produced food. At Mitchell's, we are a family owned business as well, owned by Mike and Pete Mitchell, that promotes and incorporates locally grown and produced and organic produce into our ice cream. We have flavors known as our M100 flavors which means that one or more of the ingredients was locally grown or produced within 100 miles of Cleveland at one of our 11 partnered local farmers. Mulberry Creek Herb Farm actually produces the fresh mint leaves that we use in our Fresh Mint Chocolate Chunk ice cream!
