Local e-commerce delivery services help family farms thrive and grow

INDIANAPOLIS — Grocery delivery has become a convenient way for many to get the products needed for survival. One local company allows you to get locally grown produce delivered right to your door.

Market Wagon works with local farmers across central Indiana to get their products in the hands of local buyers. One family farm said it has helped them grow their business and reach more customers than ever before.

"Only so many people come to farmers markets and there are just more people that order on their phone now," Terri Priest, owner of Priest Family Farm said. "So a lot of people can just order from home. It's convenient and they can still get fresh local food from a real farm."

The Priest family has been working with Market Wagon for four years. They are one of over 190 farmers the company works with across the state.

The company operates in 19 states and was started in central Indiana by Nick Carter. He noticed that his family farm needed more options when it came to selling its products. The company wants to invest in local economies and see local farmers and food vendors thrive.

"All of that money stays here in central Indiana,” Carter said. “We are not selling any food from outside of the state or especially outside of the country. That means those dollars go straight to farmers. To (farmers) paying workers and buying supplies."

Carter also played a pivotal role in getting legislation passed last session to allow home-based vendors to sell their products in more locations — something that wasn’t allowed before this legislation was passed.

The Priest family said the change will be huge for them and help them cut back on waste.

“Before, we had to either take it to the farmers market or just not even go down that venture,” Jeremiah Priest said. “We always have leftover produce and we can always turn it into some other kind of product. Now we can market it through E-commerce and sell it in different places.”

While farming can be difficult, the Priest family said having access to online sales is allowing them to live out their dreams.

"Most of the farmers here in Indiana do large scale,” Jeremiah Priest said. “We are doing about 2-3 acres of crops and high tunnels. (We are) able to thrive in a market where we are dominated by corn and soybeans. We are proud to be called small farmers."

For more information about Market Wagon and if they are delivering in your community click here.

For information about the Priest Family Farm click here.

The Priest family hopes that more people will support the local food movement because you are not only supporting your local economy but also a local farmer and their family.