FISHERS — While most of Indiana is still covered in snow, work is already underway for the 2025 summer season at Fishers AgriPark.
This urban farm is run by Fishers Parks & Recreation and offers free U-pick produce for anyone who visits the farm throughout the summer.
To have produce ready for the first visitors of the season, the farm is starting to plant its first seeds.
"We've started some cold weather plants," said Adam Wagner, the Agricultural Coordination for Fishers Parks & Recreation. "Things like kale, kohlrabi, cabbage, spinach, tomatoes, some oregano, some different herbs."
Seeds are planted one at a time by hand in the farm's greenhouse. While it's cold and snowy outdoors, temperatures are above 70 degrees inside the greenhouse.
Seeds go into the soil in trays that fill the greenhouse.
"Cover it up, water it in, and it gets its sunlight," Wagner explained. "Each plant spends about 10 to 12 weeks growing before it goes into the ground."
After the greenhouse, the trays of plants are moved into the farm's high tunnel, which is also heated. This leaves the greenhouse open to continue planting even more seeds.
Wagner estimated there were around 20,000 plants in the greenhouse already this season. The farm's goal is to plant 200,000 plants in 2025.
After continuing their growth in the high tunnel, plants are then ready to be planted outdoors, where they will be picked by farm visitors.
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Thanks to the early winter start in the greenhouse, the farm will have produce ready to go for the May 1 season opener.
"The city of Fishers used to be mainly agriculture, I think in the late 70s, mid-80s, before it started to grow," said Wagner. "The city thought, we need to own and operate a space that teaches people where their food comes from."
The farm is not only educational, but it also provides free produce.
Wagner wants visitors to know how much work goes into their food.
"In the time you take to pick it, it may just be seconds," he commented. "It has spent six to eight to 10 weeks growing. Before it's picked by your hand, so many hours have already gone into the plant for you to simply pick it and enjoy it."
The plants starting to sprout are exciting to Wagner and other farm employees, as they signal the approaching season.
"We help feed thousands of people. We love doing it," Wagner smiled.
In 2025, produce from Fishers AgriPark will also be used to help feed the chimpanzees at the Indianapolis Zoo.
If you'd like to learn more about the farm, you can visit their website here.
