05/03/2026
This is SO GOOD. It is written by another market owner, in LR region. It is sort of my personal soapbox lately LOL.
And speaking of ARKANSAS 🍅 TOMATOES, June is coming, y’all!! And I am dying for REAL 🍅 🍅 🍅 and eating them and 🍑 🍑 🍑 🍑 til my TONGUE burns from all the acidity!! 🤪😂😂😂 we miss y’all, summer is coming!!🥰❤️❤️❤️🥰
We can’t feed ourselves…
When I make hyperbolic statements like that I’m not sure many know what I mean.
So let’s start with food systems. What is a food system?
It’s a relay of food from production to consumer. Sounds simple!
It’s not.

Let’s take Arkansas tomatoes in production. That means a farm. It’s a farm growing tomatoes which is a skill requiring knowledge, resources, labor, and an outlet.
One doesn’t last long in agriculture if they can’t sell what they raise.
Now tomatoes have a short season. Basically 2 months of harvest. Starts in south Arkansas and moves north.
Tomatoes have a short shelf life. A short season and they don’t last long after picking.
The shortest chain in the food system is farm to plate. But that assumes the consumer and producer are close to each other and work directly together.
Rarely the case. Because the consumer doesn't have time. We are busy. We are running the wheel…
So the farmer has a few options. Set up a stand and try to service the local community. Great.
But what about the extra?
Now we need to go into a larger community to attend a farmers market. More work.
Then find a restaurant. Great, deliveries and inconsistent usage.
Or my favorite: local markets or grocers. The Hub!
An anchor that brings together the community and growers. Takes on the responsibility of retail, marketing, and all things customer service.
The relationship with artisans who make sauces, salsa, and other tomato products allows for a circular system that feeds into itself.
That’s one product.
Let’s do beef. We then have a farmer, a processor, logistics, and a consumer.
How does the beef reach the consumer? Retail, food service.
Now what if we don’t have the supply — also known as farmers? The market doesn’t work. The consumer doesn’t have food.
Extrapolate this across whatever things are grown, raised, or made in Arkansas.
We cannot feed ourselves. We could but we don’t.
The system needs fixed. The perception of food needs addressed.
The disconnection and fracture are terrifying.
We look down on farmers. Low pay and hard work.
Yet complain about the price of real food that they produce. This is a really terrifying conundrum.
The truth is farmers are heros. The frontline soldier. Our foundation. Not to be outsourced to conglomerates for ruthless efficiency and profit focused.
The takeaway? If you want a resilient food system, support those that are putting in the work.
Local farmers. Processors. Artisans. Markets.
There are lots of us but there is only so long it can happen without support.
Just think of all the farmers markets that come and go. Many reasons. But it’s the common theme.
For health: eat local, seasonal, and natural. That’s it.
Ask the market or farmer, “what grows here and now” That’s what we eat as the foundation.
You are the solution. We are Sowing Prosperity.
