Balanced Harvest Farm and CSA

Todd Jameson, co-owner with his wife Kathleen of Balanced Harvest Farm and CSA, is a man with strong personal beliefs about the importance of developing local food systems in Indiana. His commitment to farming began at the age of twelve when he and his three older brothers started a small vegetable production business in his then home state of New Jersey. In charge of the marketing side of the business as well as working the fields, the young boy heard about a "green market" that was set to open in NYC. He confidently contacted the organizer and soon he and his brothers were lined up as one of the founding farmers at the now famous NYC farmers' market.

Eventually the young men grew their farm from 6 leased acres to 48 but as other careers blossomed and new families began to form, the quartet went their separate ways with Todd leaving the farm to become General Manager of a vegetable wholesale marketing company. His career took a turn to Indiana in 1998 with him becoming CEO of a trade show group.

Despite a corporate career, Todd was never far from a garden. In 1999, he wanted his children to experience the same fun he had as a kid selling produce to the public and got a booth at the Carmel Farmers' Market. While he, by his own admission, "became addicted to the excitement of the market" his pre-teen kids lasted two weeks choosing weekends with their friends over the produce business. Six years later, Todd said the pull back to farming was so strong that he left his CEO job to start his farm, developed a strong following at the farmers' market, and in 2008 rolled out his CSA. He has both a standard harvest share and a culinarian harvest share (one he says is for the more adventurous home cook) available from his farm which recently received the designaiton of Certified Naturally Grown.

Todd and Kathleen hold leadership roles in Slow Food Indy where Todd recently took over the Chairman position and Kathleen sits on the Leadership Committee. When I asked Todd how such a busy couple could make room for one more activity in their lives, he said that the mission of Slow Food is in complete alignment with their personal beliefs and that philosophy is very much a part of their commitment to the local food movement here in Indiana and around the world. He told me, "Slow Food embodies everything we believe in as local food producers. It's a privilege to be able to help spread the word of their mission and educate the public about the importance of good, clean, and fair food. It's something I believe that all of us in the local food world should strive to make a reality for every one."

Balanced Harvest Farm and CSA
13752 Langley Drive
Carmel, Indiana 46032
Phone: 317-815-9863
www.balancedharvest.com

Photos: Courtesy of Balanced Harvest Farm and CSA

Photo One: Todd in the field inspecting kale
                   Salsify for the Culinarian Harvest CSA Share