Indiana Grown, the state’s agriculture branding initiative, held its first annual June Marketplace on Saturday. This event welcomed hundreds of Hoosiers to the Indiana State Fairgrounds and Event Center to sip, sample, and shop from over 50 Indiana Grown member businesses.
“It was a wonderful experience to welcome so many Hoosiers and over 50 Indiana Grown members to the Indiana State Fairgrounds today,” Indiana Grown Director Caroline Patrick said. “We are so excited for this event to continue to grow alongside our program.”
The Indiana State Department of Agriculture’s Indiana Grown initiative was created to promote products that are grown or made by Hoosiers, for Hoosiers. From fresh food grown from Hoosier soil to artisan goods crafted with care, this program is here to help Hoosiers discover what Indiana has to offer.
June Marketplace visitor Cuauhtemoc Gomez from Westfield said, “This was a great experience for a first-time event. I loved the variety.”
Mary Hobbs, owner of Beehive Body Company from Mount Summit, Ind., said she was thankful for the community support.
“We’re thankful for the community coming out and embracing new things,” Hobbs said. “Without the community we couldn’t do what we do every day. We live a dream.”
Indiana’s diverse agricultural landscape spans nearly 19 million acres of farms and forests. More than 56,000 farming operations make Indiana the eighth largest farming state in the nation.
By allowing members to use the Indiana Grown logo on their products, the initiative aims to form a clearer designation of which products truly come from Indiana. Additionally, the Indiana Grown logo also helps Hoosiers easily identify and buy these local products.
The June Marketplace was a one-stop shop for finding Hoosier-produced jams and jellies, wine, body care, plants, art, pottery, and more.
Visit IndianaGrown.org for more information about Indiana Grown and its members.
Click here to see more photos from the event.