What you Need to Know to Host a Tour or Event during 2022 Local Food Week

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Register your Farm, Market or Restaurant to host events during Local Food Week!

Dates: Friday, July 29 - Sunday, August 7, 2021
Locations: Urban & Rural Local Food Farms, Markets & Restaurants across the 11 counties of NE Indiana

The Northeast Indiana Local Food Network created Local Food Week to celebrate the farms, markets, restaurants and other businesses that bring local food from Our Land to Our Tables.

We launched Local Food Week in 2020 to create an opportunity for folks in our region to visit farms and connect with those who grow, sell and serve the local food they love. With tours and events hosted by over 20 different regional farms and businesses, and over 500 guests participating, our 2021 Local Food Week, this celebration was a great success that helped to propel our local food economy. This year’s Local Food Week is already attracting lots of attention, so we are expecting even more farms, businesses and guest to participate!

2020 Local Food Week Farm Tour at Fry Farms Co-op

Local Food Week Farm Tour at Fry Farms Co-op

Planning your Local Food Week Tour or Event

Hosting a Local Food Week tour or event is a great opportunity to engage with customers and your community. You can choose any day during the week to host an event, or have events on multiple days.

Be sure to Register your Farm or Business to participate by Sunday, June 19, 2022 (Father’s Day) to have your event listed in our new Local Food Week Tour Book, as well as our online calendar of Local Food Week events.

Local Food Week focuses is on events and activities that celebrate local food and allow visitors to interact with the people and places that grow, sell and serve local food across Northeast Indiana.

We will not highlight farms or businesses that are not doing a special event at their farm, market or business. For example, rather than listing a farm stand as open throughout the week as a Local Food Week event, the farm or business will be required to have an activity (big or small) in addition that is not part of their regular business offerings. 

NOTE: In case of a serious resurgence of COVID 19, any health & safety guidelines from the State of Indiana that are in place will be required. Local Food Week events can also be virtual, if desired.

2020 Local Food Week Tour at Berry Hill Farm

Local Food Week Tour at Berry Hill Farm

Here is a list of potential Local Food Week events you can host and we encourage other creative ideas!

  • Farm Tours - Self-guided tours, or Guided small group tours. Pre-registration is strongly encouraged to manage the number of visitors on the farm at one time.

  • Local Food Tastings & Demonstrations - Offer visitors the chance to taste new local foods and show them how to prepare it

  • “Meet your Farmer” or “Meet your Artisan Local Food Producer” Events - Offer guests the opportunity to meet the person who grows or produces the local food you sell or serve.

  • Picnics on the Farm - Encourage visitors to bring their own picnic, or collaborate with a local food truck or caterer to offer food for sale.

  • Virtual Farm, Market or Restaurant Tour - Through a series of photos or videos (i.e. posting a farm pic or video of the day) on your social media give visitors a glimpse behind the scenes. Help them connect with you through your local food - who produces it, where it comes from and why you love what you do.

  • Kid-friendly activities or Special Interest events for gardeners or foodies - Design your tour or event to have special appeal: 1) to families with young children, 2) to those looking for tips for their home garden, or 3) to those who are really into knowing more about the ingredients in their favorite foods.

  • Collaborate with an Education Partner - We can help to match your farm or business with an experienced educator to help organize and lead a family-friendly education component to your farm tour or event. Educational topics could include: local food nutrition, taste tests, soil health, pollinators, etc. Let us know what topics you think your guests may be interested in.

Feel free to think outside of the box and if you want to include a standing event you usually host, we’re just asking that you provide a special addition to the event that we can highlight for Local Food Week.

Sign-up Now to be a Host during 2022 Local Food Week! We can’t wait to help you promote your event.

Questions about this? Please be in touch. We’d love to help you find the right fit for your farm or business.


Cost to Host or Participate during Local Food Week

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Again this year, there is NO CHARGE to participate in Local Food Week either as a host farm or business OR as a guest at a farm tour or local food event. We want to help you celebrate your role in bringing local food from Our Land to Our Tables, by making participation in Local Food Week accessible to all farms and local food businesses.

We encourage you to offer Local Food Week tours and events at NO or MINIMAL CHARGE, so this event remains financially accessible to all families. You are welcome to encourage donations for you farm or business, or to offer items for sale to your guests.

Understanding your Safety & Risk Management

Your safety and the safety of your Local Food Week guests is paramount. For additional information about agritourism precautions, and agritourism safety and risk management and managing liability on your property, please review these guidelines.

Janet Katz