Southern Indiana Farm to Health Initiative

In conjunction with Lost River Market and Deli in Paoli (Orange County), this project worked with local partners to address public health issues using locally grown fruits and vegetables. Lost River coordinated with community partners to bring a food education program (Cooking Matters) and a produce prescription program to consumers across the socioeconomic spectrum in the community. The Orange County Health Coalition co-led efforts to implement Cooking Matters with community partners to increase knowledge and use of healthy foods in home cooking for consumers. Coordinating with the Southern Indiana Community Health Clinic physicians, Cooking Matters supported a produce prescription program to provide healthy cooking lessons and food to patients who are prescribed a healthier diet by their physicians. Engaging families that are in Head Start; Women, Infant and Children (WIC) program, and schools, Lost River hosted Cooking Matters classes for families seeking food education in the kitchen. To address increased demand and the addition of wholesale purchasing partners, like school corporations, Lost River worked with grower suppliers to ensure best practices for food safety on the farm and coordinate planning, planting, and harvest among growers in the supply chain.