The Gray Street Farmers Market, Knob Hill Farms CSA subscriptions and UofL’s Community Gardens, all in collaboration with UofL’s Sustainability Council, can help campus neighbors and Cardinals supplement grocery store produce. These options can provide healthy alternatives, reduced costs and decreased individual environmental impact.

“Nothing is more indicative of unsustainable living than our widespread disconnection from the most fundamental thing that sustains us, where and how our food is grown,” said UofL’s Assistant to the Provost for Sustainability Initiatives Justin Mog. “These initiatives represent the university’s best efforts to reconnect us to the land, the ecology, the local economies and the people that we cannot live without.”

Each program below is open to the public:

• 
  Thursdays, 10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
  June – September

• 
  Pickups Tuesday at UofL 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.
  CSA Subscriptions

• 
  Alternating Saturdays, 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
• 
  Summer Garden Gatherings: Urban & Public Affairs Garden 7 p.m., Mondays;
  Garden Commons 12 p.m., Thursdays

Knob Hill Farms and Community Supported Agriculture

Since 2004, Keith McKenzie and his family have managed Knob Hill Farm’s 26 acres, including two acres of USDA-certified organic farmland, to share healthy and locally grown produce with Louisville’s residents. When McKenzie moved with his wife to Louisville to work on his master’s degree in social work, the pair rented plots to garden while living in the city. The community they found in Louisville and their love of gardening were the beginning sprout of Knob Hill Farms. The connections made through gardening encouraged McKenzie to expand his gift for gardening and community building to Knob Hill Farms and, ultimately, community-supported agriculture (CSA).

“What we want to do is share what it’s like to grow produce, what it’s like to farm, what it’s like to encounter nature on multiple fronts,” McKenzie said.

Knob Hill Farms is able to operate thanks to their CSA subscriptions, which allow customers to buy a share in the farm for the season by supporting the work and reaping the harvest through weekly in-season provisions. Each week, McKenzie meets subscribers at one of his pickup locations, including a stop at UofL’s Belknap Campus. At these pickups, McKenzie hears directly from customers about their upcoming needs from Knob Hill Farms which allows him to adapt crop choices. Farmers Markets and CSA create mutually beneficial relationships between farmers and their customers without additional cost or damage from a third-party grocery store.

“There’s been a move to modernize and to embrace technology. At what cost and at what expense? I believe in the exchange for convenience and in pursuit of, ultimately, the American Dream. We gave up power. We gave up control of how we prepare food and what is in the food that’s prepared for us,” McKenzie said. “And for my wife and me, this – I believe – is an opportunity for us to gain some control, some power, some sense of liberation.”

Gray Street Farmers Market     

Begun in 2009, the Gray Street Farmers Market (GSFM) is a project of in partnership with the Louisville Metro Dept. of Public Health and Wellness and Catholic Charities Common Earth Gardens. Their goal is to increase access to fresh food in downtown Louisville. In addition to providing access to affordable, locally grown produce, the market welcomes craft vendors, food trucks and partners like the Louisville Free Public Library. The market is open every Thursday, 10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. from June through September, rain or shine.

The GSFM offers several food access programs to provide support to customers enrolled in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs (SNAP) and seniors. SNAP dollars can be tripled at the Gray Street Farmers Market through the Triple Dollar Program.

UofL Community Gardens

Seeking out local produce may not take you much further than your own backyard, neighborhood or campus. Gardening is another way to shorten your grocery store list while decreasing environmental damage. UofL’s two community gardens, Garden Commons and Urban & Public Affairs Garden, are cared for and harvested by students, staff, faculty and public volunteers. Each week, volunteers meet to care for the garden, learn and enjoy a share of the produce.

The celebration was in advance of National Farmers Market Week Aug. 4-10. Farmers markets act as vital resources for families to get locally sourced produce which increases healthy eating habits and boosts the local economy.

The Gray Street Farmers Market was co-founded in 2009 between UofL’s School of Public Health and Information Sciences (SPHIS) and the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health Wellness. Together, they work toward relieving the food desert that exists in downtown Louisville.

“We’re in the middle of an increased need to provide fresh produce within downtown Louisville, specifically to those on food assistance programs,” said Sara Frazier, Gray Street Farmers Market manager.

Locally-grown produce can often be viewed as a commodity for only those who can afford it, according to Frazier. The Gray Street Farmers Market addresses the issue with its Dollar for Dollar program, which matches SNAP recipients’ benefits up to $20. The service is provided through donations and numerous fundraising opportunities, including a available on the market’s website during August.�� There is also an for those wishing to donate directly to the Dollar for Dollar program.��

The market runs every Thursday from mid-May to Oct. 31, 2019 – rain or shine. It operates from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., with lunch options available through vendors and weekly food truck rotations. The market’s governance committee reviews all vendor applications to ensure the products are local and will be a good fit. They want there to be a variety of high quality options for our customers.��

Visitors can expect homegrown or homemade products including fruits and vegetables, canned goods, hand-crafted products, artisan coffee and more. Most vendors accept cash, card or tokens. Tokens are available at the information booth in order to help those who need currency exchanged onsite.

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The market, operated by the University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Science in partnership with the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health & Wellness, is launching an Elevate crowdfunding campaign to continue and expand its Dollar For Dollar program. The initiative provides assistance for customers who use the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) making fresh, local produce more affordable.

“In 2017, our Dollar for Dollar program doubled the spending power of 60 SNAP households, giving them a total of $2,200 to spend at the market. However, the need is much greater than the funds we have available,” said Melissa Schreck, the school’s director of external affairs.

LMPHW has contributed $1,000 to help operate the Dollar for Dollar program in 2018. The Elevate fundraising goal is $3,950, which will be used to expand and sustain the program. The campaign will run for about 30 days, and the .��

Longstanding weekly vendors Jackson’s Produce, Granny’s Delights, Lowe Creek Farm, Green Farm and Full Heart Farm will return with a variety of fruits and vegetables, breads, jams, canned goods, granola and honey. Three Louisville-based guest vendors — Black Cat Pottery, Bonnet Bandits and PureKarma Handmade Soaps — will sell stoneware pottery and a mix of personal care products, lotions and soaps.

GSFM patrons also can grab lunch and other prepared foods while visiting the market. Georgia’s Sweet Potato Pie Co., Naked Hummus, Fresh Out of the Box and Grecian Mama will join returning vendors, Boss Hogs BBQ, Pollo, Red Top Gourmet Dogs, Steel City Pops, Sweet N Savory and the Celtic Pig.

The market is open 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. every Thursday through Oct. 25 on the 400 block of E. Gray St., between S. Preston and S. Jackson streets. Throughout the season, the GSFM will offer exclusive giveaways on �����Ի���. Use #ThursdaysonGray or #GreatDayonGray.

Mayor Greg Fischer recently made the announcement at the Gray Street Farmers Market, a collaboration between the University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences and Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness. He was joined by Dr. Craig Blakely, dean of the school, and Fourth District Metro Councilwoman Barbara Sexton Smith.

“Farmers Markets are an important way to get healthy food to our neighborhoods, particularly any areas of our city that may not have ready access to fresh produce,” the Mayor said. “They also are a great opportunity for our local and regional farmers and entrepreneurs to support their operations. They help our community thrive.”

The LFMA helps member markets increase their capacity and growth by assisting with marketing, financial advisement, and vendor and volunteer recruitment. The association receives staff support from the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness and Louisville Forward, along with the Kentucky Department of Public Health Community Health Action Team (CHAT) Grant.

Another benefit of the LFMA is that it will assist families who use (SNAP) benefits.

“Our weekly Gray Street Farmers Market brings fresh, nutrient-rich foods into our neighborhood and supports healthy eating — an important factor in disease prevention and overall wellness,” said Dean Blakely. “We are thankful to Metro Council District Four Councilwoman Barbara Sexton Smith for funding for our Dollar for Dollar program, which allows SNAP customers to double their food dollars and makes local produce more affordable.”

“I am excited about this new Louisville Farmers Market Association,” said Councilwoman Sexton Smith. “Farmers Markets like the Gray Street Farmers Market and the Phoenix Hill Farmers Market are making locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables available to many of our neighbors who don’t have a full-service grocery store.”

The Louisville Farmers Market Association also has produced the new first annual Guide to Local Food Resources. The guide maps out the city’s farmers markets, as well as other places where consumers can find local healthy foods. These include New Roots’ Fresh Stop Markets and Healthy in a Hurry Corner Stores. .

The market, managed by the School of Public Health and Information Sciences in collaboration with the Louisville Metro Department of Health and Wellness, has received $1,500 for the Double Dollars program to benefit individuals receiving government assistance. This program also is available at the Bardstown Road, Phoenix Hill and newly-opened South Point farmers markets in Louisville.��

The Double Dollars program matches spending by Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) customers dollar for dollar up to $20 and aims to make shopping at farmers markets more affordable. For example, if a resident uses a SNAP card to make a $10 purchase, the program will match that $10, giving a new total of $20 to spend on healthy, locally grown produce and other products.

“Public health is about creating conditions under which people can be healthy, and that is why we organize the weekly Gray Street Farmers Market,” said Craig Blakely, PhD, MPH, dean, UofL SPHIS. “Farmers markets bring fresh, healthy foods into our neighborhoods. Our market has accepted SNAP benefits and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Vouchers since 2010 and we are thankful to be recipients of the Double Dollars funding that will make healthy choices more affordable and accessible to members of our community.”

Using the program is simple. Patrons visit the market information booth, decide how much they want to spend, and swipe their SNAP cards. The market then matches the dollar amount and gives the individual wooden tokens to make their purchases. Households can use Double Dollars to buy food intended to be prepared and eaten at home such as breads, fruits and vegetables, honeys and jams, and meat and poultry.

On the first day of the Double Dollars program at the Gray Street Farmers Market, four people doubled their SNAP benefits by an average of $15 per household. At this market, seniors who benefit from Kentucky’s Senior Nutrition Farmers Market program also received supplemental funds with the Double Dollars program.

The efforts of the Gray Street Farmers market has been recognized by Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer’s Office, which recently coordinated a special event to showcase the importance of Double Dollars and the city’s farmers markets.��

The opens May 19. This market serves those who work at the Health Sciences Center campus, hospitals, and other area businesses, as well as those who live in the surrounding neighborhoods of Phoenix Hill, Smoketown, Shelby Park and Liberty Green.

“Public health is about creating conditions under which people can be healthy, and that is why we organize this weekly event,” said Craig Blakely, PhD, MPH, dean, University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences. “Farmers markets are great ways to bring fresh, healthy foods into our neighborhoods.��Because our market accepts debit cards, SNAP benefits and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Vouchers, it is affordable and accessible to everyone.”

This will be the eighth year for the Gray Street Farmers Market in downtown Louisville.��

“We’re delighted the Gray Street Farmers market is returning … The fact that the farmers market is located between the UofL School of Public Health and Information Sciences and the Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness is helping to deliver our shared message of nutritious eating to the broader community,” said Joann Schulte, DO, MPH, director, Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness.

Open each Thursday through October 27, from 10:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., the market includes 11 from throughout Kentucky and Indiana. The market welcomes two new farmers and will host a rotating group of lunch vendors and food trucks, with three options each week, in addition to the Asian-inspired offerings from Green Farm. The market also has established a new partnership with the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service’s Nutrition ����ֱ�� Program, and will co-sponsor meal-sampling events on June 9, July 14, and August 11.��

Located on the 400 block of E. Gray Street, between South Preston and South Jackson streets, the Gray Street Farmers Market is coordinated by the UofL School of Public Health and Information Sciences and the Metro Department of Health and Wellness. Parking is available on Chestnut, Preston or Jackson streets as well as the Chestnut Street garage.

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