Enhancing Local Food Security Through Roots and Harvest Community

Roots and Harvest Community

Roots and Harvest Community is a nonprofit organization creating a secure local food system across 12 counties in Southwest Missouri. We connect local producers, consumers, and retail food businesses through direct sales, education, collaboration, and sustainable practices—empowering small-scale farmers while reducing food deserts in rural communities.

Our Farm Stop Model

We operate Missouri's first year-round Farm Stop, a community marketplace where over 75 local producers sell fresh vegetables, fruits, grass-fed and grass-finished meats, dairy products, baked goods, and artisan items. Unlike traditional farmers markets that close for the season, our Farm Stop provides consistent year-round access to local food, with plans to expand to Aurora and Cassville within the next 6–8 months. Our long-term vision is to open one new Farm Stop location per year until every county we serve has access to locally-grown food.

Supporting Local Producers

We work exclusively with small-scale, sustainable farmers and artisan producers who share our commitment to healthy food and environmental stewardship. Our producers don't use pesticides, herbicides, or chemical fertilizers, and we prioritize grass-fed, non-GMO practices for meat producers. Through annual site visits and ongoing support, we help farmers grow their businesses while maintaining the highest standards of sustainability and food safety.

Every producer sets their own prices, and we add a commission (30% for food, 25% for artisan goods) to support our operations. We handle inventory management, sales tracking, and payments through our point-of-sale system, making it easier for farmers to focus on what they do best—growing great food.

Building Food Security in Rural Missouri

Food access is a critical challenge in rural Southwest Missouri, where many families live in food deserts with limited access to fresh, healthy food. Our Farm Stop model addresses this by bringing local food directly into communities that need it most. We select new locations based on local interest, population size, and the absence of year-round farmers markets—ensuring we're filling real gaps in the food system.

Beyond retail sales, we partner with local restaurants like Sleepy Opossum Cafe and are expanding into schools and institutions. We're also launching a CSA program and exploring mobile market options to reach even more families across our 12-county service area.

Reducing Food Waste, Strengthening Community

Sustainability extends beyond how food is grown—it's also about how we use it. Unsold food from our Farm Stop is donated to local free fridges, pantries, and families in need, with all donations tracked on our waste sheet. We compost what can't be eaten and prioritize keeping edible food in the community. This approach has allowed us to donate hundreds of pounds of fresh, nutritious food while supporting our producers.

Education and Engagement

We believe in empowering both farmers and consumers through education. We offer workshops for beginner farmers on entering farmers markets, and we teach consumers about food preservation, growing their own food, and seasonal eating. Our membership program—launching soon with three tiers—creates deeper connections between community members and local food, offering benefits like discounts, priority access to seasonal items, farm tours, and exclusive events.

Recognition and Impact

In 2025, we were honored to receive the Missouri Grown Farm to Table Award at the Missouri Governor's Agriculture Conference. This recognition celebrates our work connecting local farmers with communities, operating Missouri's first year-round Farm Stop, supporting youth through internships, facilitating farm-to-restaurant partnerships, and reducing food deserts across 10 counties.

Our Vision for the Future

Roots and Harvest Community is building a resilient, sustainable food system that supports rural farmers, increases access to healthy food, and strengthens the fabric of our communities. By prioritizing local relationships over long supply chains, we're creating a food future that is healthier, more equitable, and more secure for everyone in Southwest Missouri.

Join us in growing a stronger local food system—one farm, one meal, one community at a time.