Food Stories and Cultures
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Presentation 1 | The Elephant Gardens: Our Story
So what is the B.I.G. F.O.O.D. Project? B.I.G. represents Black Independent Growers. F.O.O.D. represents Farmers Organized to Optimize Distribution. This project has been initiated by an Indianapolis-based, family-owned and operated, urban farm known as The Elephant Gardens LLC. It was founded by the mother-daughter team of Vivian Muhammad and Joyce Randolph and is located in an area known as the Northeast Corridor (NEC), in one of Indianapolis’ designated “food deserts”. The goal of this project is to establish and/or strengthen a farmer-to-farmer-to-consumer distribution network, so that the residents of the city of Indianapolis -specifically in the NECwill gain access to a wider variety of locally and organically grown fruits, vegetables, and other farm products (such as eggs, honey and flowers). By buying produce wholesale directly from local growers, we will increase support of the local growers, rural and urban, thus strengthening the overall local food system. By “local” we mean all of Indiana, as well as parts of the surrounding states of Michigan, Kentucky, Ohio, and Illinois. By “organic” we do not necessarily mean “certified” organic; what we do mean is that we are looking to partner with growers who don’t use GMO seeds, who don’t use synthetic herbicides, pesticides, or fertilizers, who do not irradiate their produce, and who do employ sustainable “earth friendly” growing methods. It is our desire to support as many Black Independent Growers as possible, in addition to small local organic growers generally. It is very important to us to establish mutually beneficial farmerto- farmer relationships, so that the entire local food system can be strengthened to expand and thrive. To this end, the Elephant Gardens has received a grant to secure both a refrigerated truck and a smaller local delivery truck which will enable us to purchase, procure, and deliver locally and organically grown fresh fruits and vegetables from your farm or farm organization. Our intention is to make wholesale purchases of specific produce items that the Elephant Gardens either does not grow at all, or does not grow enough of to service the local demand.
Vivian Muhammad, graduated from Cathedral High School in 1983. She subsequently attended Purdue University’s where she studied Engineering and Pre-law before leaving to start a family. She now has four children -3 sons and a daughter- and 4 grandsons. She would later become President of Madame C.J. Walker Manufacturing Company -the oldest black-owned manufacturing company in the United States. In 2011, they celebrated the 100- year anniversary of the Walker Company’s 1911 incorporation. The Walker legacy has since then been entrusted to the owners of Sundial products. Along with heading an historical manufacturing company, in the 40 years since graduation, Vivian has also been and insurance consultant and agent investigator, the owner of her own cleaning company, and a wellness consultant. However, it was not until 2006 that she began to finally tap into what she considers to be her true calling. That’s the year Vivian tore up her family back yard and planted a garden! & years later, she then purchases a 1/4 acre lot nearby her home, in her journey to become an urban organic farmer; Along with 4 generations of her family, she now owns and operates the Elephant Gardens which is located in the heart of one of Indianapolis’ food deserts in the Northeast Corridor. The vision of the Elephant Gardens is to transform the community in which it is located by promoting a culture of health, beauty, and clean living. Indeed, the Elephant Gardens’ mission is its business: to establish a sustainable source of nutrient-rich, organic produce for its community, and to engage and train the youth in the area to become helpers in this cause. Vivian has come full circle, inasmuch as she has now received training from Purdue’s extension Urban Agriculture program for the implementation of sustainable organic gardening practices, and the eradication of food insecurity and food deserts. She has served as a Purdue Extension Board Member, Vice-President of the Forest Manor Community Association, and she is a Neighborhood Food Champion Alum, and presently serves on the steering committee member of the Equitable Food Access Initiative for the NEC (Northeast Corridor). In an effort to increase food production and share resources, Vivian Muhammad became one of the founding members of the Indiana Black Farmer’s Co-op and the Indiana Black Farmers’ Markets which are staged in four location around the Indianapolis area, all of which are located in areas designated as food deserts. She also founded Black Independent Growers or “B.I.G.” which helped to spearhead two of the four aforementioned Farmers Markets. She and her family established a 4H Club called Tomorrowland’s Children which is a summer youth program wherein the Junior Master Gardner curriculum is taught to 9-12 year olds. God willing, more is yet to come!
Presentation 2 | Cultures of Fermentation: East Asian Foodways, Traditions, and Resilience
We want to present an early-stage research project on traditional East Asian fermentation techniques. The purpose of the project is to bring together representatives of local farmers, restaurant chefs, health and food safety specialists, and policy makers to discuss innovative ways of rethinking food production in Indiana based on experiences and traditions in East Asia. Our state is one of the leading producers of soybeans, but only a fraction is used for human consumption, and an even smaller part is being refined and upscaled. With the project, we hope to spark new ideas about how traditional East Asian fermentation techniques can inspire producers in Indiana to go new ways, from establishing local ‘micro-fermentories’ to becoming part of the billion-dollar industry of soy sauce production.
Dr. Morten Oxenboell is Associate Professor in Japanese Studies and Director of the East Asian Studies Center at Indiana University—Bloomington. He studies medieval Japanese conflicts.
Presentation 3 | Honoring Diversity at the Table
Sobremesa Farm will discuss how they honor the food traditions of other cultures, educate the community around them about nutrition, and how their own travels and cultural interactions shaped their vision of the farm.
So what is the B.I.G. F.O.O.D. Project? B.I.G. represents Black Independent Growers. F.O.O.D. represents Farmers Organized to Optimize Distribution. This project has been initiated by an Indianapolis-based, family-owned and operated, urban farm known as The Elephant Gardens LLC. It was founded by the mother-daughter team of Vivian Muhammad and Joyce Randolph and is located in an area known as the Northeast Corridor (NEC), in one of Indianapolis’ designated “food deserts”. The goal of this project is to establish and/or strengthen a farmer-to-farmer-to-consumer distribution network, so that the residents of the city of Indianapolis -specifically in the NECwill gain access to a wider variety of locally and organically grown fruits, vegetables, and other farm products (such as eggs, honey and flowers). By buying produce wholesale directly from local growers, we will increase support of the local growers, rural and urban, thus strengthening the overall local food system. By “local” we mean all of Indiana, as well as parts of the surrounding states of Michigan, Kentucky, Ohio, and Illinois. By “organic” we do not necessarily mean “certified” organic; what we do mean is that we are looking to partner with growers who don’t use GMO seeds, who don’t use synthetic herbicides, pesticides, or fertilizers, who do not irradiate their produce, and who do employ sustainable “earth friendly” growing methods. It is our desire to support as many Black Independent Growers as possible, in addition to small local organic growers generally. It is very important to us to establish mutually beneficial farmerto- farmer relationships, so that the entire local food system can be strengthened to expand and thrive. To this end, the Elephant Gardens has received a grant to secure both a refrigerated truck and a smaller local delivery truck which will enable us to purchase, procure, and deliver locally and organically grown fresh fruits and vegetables from your farm or farm organization. Our intention is to make wholesale purchases of specific produce items that the Elephant Gardens either does not grow at all, or does not grow enough of to service the local demand.
Vivian Muhammad, graduated from Cathedral High School in 1983. She subsequently attended Purdue University’s where she studied Engineering and Pre-law before leaving to start a family. She now has four children -3 sons and a daughter- and 4 grandsons. She would later become President of Madame C.J. Walker Manufacturing Company -the oldest black-owned manufacturing company in the United States. In 2011, they celebrated the 100- year anniversary of the Walker Company’s 1911 incorporation. The Walker legacy has since then been entrusted to the owners of Sundial products. Along with heading an historical manufacturing company, in the 40 years since graduation, Vivian has also been and insurance consultant and agent investigator, the owner of her own cleaning company, and a wellness consultant. However, it was not until 2006 that she began to finally tap into what she considers to be her true calling. That’s the year Vivian tore up her family back yard and planted a garden! & years later, she then purchases a 1/4 acre lot nearby her home, in her journey to become an urban organic farmer; Along with 4 generations of her family, she now owns and operates the Elephant Gardens which is located in the heart of one of Indianapolis’ food deserts in the Northeast Corridor. The vision of the Elephant Gardens is to transform the community in which it is located by promoting a culture of health, beauty, and clean living. Indeed, the Elephant Gardens’ mission is its business: to establish a sustainable source of nutrient-rich, organic produce for its community, and to engage and train the youth in the area to become helpers in this cause. Vivian has come full circle, inasmuch as she has now received training from Purdue’s extension Urban Agriculture program for the implementation of sustainable organic gardening practices, and the eradication of food insecurity and food deserts. She has served as a Purdue Extension Board Member, Vice-President of the Forest Manor Community Association, and she is a Neighborhood Food Champion Alum, and presently serves on the steering committee member of the Equitable Food Access Initiative for the NEC (Northeast Corridor). In an effort to increase food production and share resources, Vivian Muhammad became one of the founding members of the Indiana Black Farmer’s Co-op and the Indiana Black Farmers’ Markets which are staged in four location around the Indianapolis area, all of which are located in areas designated as food deserts. She also founded Black Independent Growers or “B.I.G.” which helped to spearhead two of the four aforementioned Farmers Markets. She and her family established a 4H Club called Tomorrowland’s Children which is a summer youth program wherein the Junior Master Gardner curriculum is taught to 9-12 year olds. God willing, more is yet to come!
Presentation 2 | Cultures of Fermentation: East Asian Foodways, Traditions, and Resilience
We want to present an early-stage research project on traditional East Asian fermentation techniques. The purpose of the project is to bring together representatives of local farmers, restaurant chefs, health and food safety specialists, and policy makers to discuss innovative ways of rethinking food production in Indiana based on experiences and traditions in East Asia. Our state is one of the leading producers of soybeans, but only a fraction is used for human consumption, and an even smaller part is being refined and upscaled. With the project, we hope to spark new ideas about how traditional East Asian fermentation techniques can inspire producers in Indiana to go new ways, from establishing local ‘micro-fermentories’ to becoming part of the billion-dollar industry of soy sauce production.
Dr. Morten Oxenboell is Associate Professor in Japanese Studies and Director of the East Asian Studies Center at Indiana University—Bloomington. He studies medieval Japanese conflicts.
Presentation 3 | Honoring Diversity at the Table
Sobremesa Farm will discuss how they honor the food traditions of other cultures, educate the community around them about nutrition, and how their own travels and cultural interactions shaped their vision of the farm.
Robert Frew and Juan Carlos Arango began developing Sobremesa Farm in 2013 with the idea of designing and implementing a permaculture farm through a collaborative effort with others who contributed their expertise, time and resources in order to help them realize their vision for a small-scale operation that focused on environmental stewardship, cultural diversity and collaborating with other organizations. They decided upon a permaculture approach because of the flexibility, variability and regenerative models built into this growing system. They also wanted to create community connections through events, educational programs, farm to table gatherings and collaborations with other land conservation organizations. Sobremesa Farm is located in Bloomington, IN.
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