Findlay Market moves to make farmers, foodies happier

To judge from the vibrant, busy scene at the farmers market at Findlay Market on a summer weekend, the Cincinnati local food scene seems strong. Consumers crowd the aisle, buying ripe tomatoes and micro-greens, dinner rolls, frozen lamb and local cheese, all grown or made by producers within a few hours' drive.

While there are plenty of consumers interested in local food, and quite a few farmers interested in supplying it, there are structural barriers to expanding the farmers market into a true food system and strong economic sector.

Many of the farmers would like to be able to grow and sell more produce, expand their farms and make more money – without having to spend more time hand-selling tomatoes. The artisans need facilities to start or expand their production. And Findlay Market would like to see some of those shoppers crowding the aisle during the week.

So the market is launching two initiatives that will be a step toward meeting those goals. One is a new incubator kitchen where local food producers can get a start. The other is a local-foods store called Dirt that will open at the Market this summer. The two will have a symbiotic relationship with each other, as well as with the farm stands that Findlay sets up in different neighborhoods, and with the rest of the Market. "We're like a lab for the local food movement," said Karen Kahle. "This is a small first step."

A consignment store for local food

"Dirt is going to help us solve a handful of things at the Market all at the same time, including driving weekday traffic," said Joe Hansbauer, President and CEO of the Corporation for Findlay Market. "We know a lot of customers postpone their shopping to Saturday and Sunday because that's when the farmers, artisans and food producers are there."

Dirt, which will be located between Eli's and Maverick Chocolate, will sell produce from local farmers and producers six days a week. It is modeled on a successful store in Wooster, Ohio called Local Roots. It works like a consignment store: farmers set their own prices, pay for a certain amount of space on a monthly basis, and pay a membership fee. The store collects the money, then gives most of it – 70 to 80 percent – back to the producers. Interns and volunteers will staff the store.

This is a middle-road model for farmers. While a farmers market is great because the farmer keeps 100 percent of the retail price, it means taking many hours away from actual farming. On the other hand, a farmer who concentrates on large-scale farming and sells wholesale gets only 20 or 30 percent of the sale price. "I think Dirt will be good," said Kim Callahan of Lobenstein Farms. "My customers can find me anytime, even when I'm at home, picking."

Kitchen to incubate entrepreneurs

To be located around the corner on Elm Street, the Kitchen at The Market will be a place where food producers and entrepreneurs can rent professional kitchen space to test and get started producing a food product. "These people with such a passion for their product can get a start without mortgaging their house," said Hansbauer. They are still raising money, but the fully-equipped 8,000 square-foot shared kitchen is targeted to open in late 2015.

Hansbauer sees the kitchen and Dirt supporting each other. "One hurdle for new food producers is finding places to sell," he said. "Here, they will have not only a kitchen, but an immediate retail outlet." He also sees the folks at the incubator buying product from the farmers at Dirt.

And farmers themselves can use the kitchen for adding value to what they grow. "If a farmer has 10 pounds of tomatoes left, they don't have to sell them at a low price just to get rid of them, they could make them into tomato sauce and sell it for $5 a jar."

Food to Neighborhoods

Another player in the related elements is the Findlay Farmstands – mini-farm stands that Findlay staffers take to three neighborhoods that are generally underserved with fresh produce: Price Hill, Walnut Hills and Westwood. "Now we have people who drive to the farms to pick up product for the stands," said Hansbauer. "That's really not sustainable. Now farmers will be delivering to Dirt already, so we can aggregate at Dirt, and supply the farmstands from there."

Shoppers will be the ultimate beneficiaries. Dirt will be open until 7 p.m., as are Eli's and Maverick Chocolate.

Findlay will soon be accepting applications from producers who want to sell at the store. Already, there are meat, egg and dairy producers interested, as well as honey, fruit and vegetable sellers. Blue Oven Bread has indicated they'll be there. Dirt will accept credit cards and EBT and Produce Perks.