Gaby Schmidt, left, purchases a bunch of Easter Egg radishes from Meredith Bell of Autonomy Farms at The Marketplace Farmers Market.
USDA Celebrates National Farmers Market Week
By Lauren Moore, FSA Public Affairs Specialist
Beginning farmer, Meredith Bell, owner and operator of Autonomy Farms, sells meats and produce at 13 farmers markets year round in Los Angeles and her home of Bakersfield, California.
This week, USDA is joining farmers, like Bell, in celebrating National Farmers Market Week. Farmers markets give consumers access to locally grown and farm-fresh products, while giving farmers the platform to grow and connect with their customer base.
Bell established Autonomy Farms four years ago. On her farm, she raises beef, poultry, pork and lambs, in addition to growing a variety of produce including tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and kale.
“As a beginning farmer, I have more of a challenge than others who grew up in the agriculture industry. Everything is a bigger learning curve,” she said. “Before becoming a farmer, I worked in sales and business development in the food industry. I realized there was a disconnect between farmers and the consumers. I wanted to do something about it.”
Bell thought about getting her masters and pursuing a career in public policy or education in the food system, but decided to become a farmer to form a direct connection with customers and make a bigger impact.
“When people are shopping at a farmers market, they want to know where the food comes from. They want to directly support local farmers,” she said. “Having a relationship with customers is probably my favorite part about being a farmer. People bring their kids every week and you get to see them grow. These people are like an extended group of friends.”
In February 2017, Autonomy Farms was hit by a flood that left the farm underwater for two months. She was able to financially recover from her poultry losses through the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP). On top of FSA assistance, the Bakersfield and Los Angeles communities came together to raise funds to save her farm.
“The farm wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for my customers,” she said. “I started the farm to impact people, but the people I thought I was helping ended up really helping me.”
In addition to farmers markets, Bell’s products can be purchased on the Autonomy Farms website, as well as butcher shops and markets in San Diego. She also offers Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) memberships, where the customer purchases and receives a share of meats and seasonal produce on a weekly or monthly basis.
Celebrate National Farmers Market Week by visiting your local farmers market and supporting the farmers who supply fresh produce and products to your community. Use the National Farmers Market Directory to find a market near you: https://www.ams.usda.gov/local-food-directories/farmersmarkets. To date, there are nearly 8,700 markets in the USDA Farmers Market Directory.
