The Indiana State Fair is a celebration of everything that makes the Hoosier State unique.
Children bring their championship livestock to be judged the best of the best. Skilled gardeners and growers show off massive pumpkins, tomatoes, watermelons and summer squashes. Weavers and quilters and other artists display the fruits of their creativity.
Among the craziness of the traditional agricultural showcases, fair food and midway rides, a small corner of the fairgrounds has been set aside to spotlight locally made products and the businesses behind them.
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The Indiana Grown Market, situated inside the fair’s Purdue Extension Ag/Hort Building, features a wide array of Indiana-based products ranging from barbecue sauce to granola to beauty products. More than 100 producers are featured in the special marketplace, where people can browse through the shelves for soap, honey, candy, ice cream and other items.
Not only does the marketplace serve as an all-in-one stop for some of Indiana’s most unique products, but it allows producers to reach entirely new customers that they otherwise might never reach.
“You can’t get in front of enough people,” said Charles Bryant, co-founder of Hartwell’s Premium, a Greenwood-based business and Indiana Grown member. “Being in all these stores, shoppers are habitual. You kind of see the same people buying. Being at the state fair gives us a whole new audience that maybe never has heard of us yet.”
Indiana Grown is a program of the state’s department of agriculture, which aims at educating people about the importance of buying Hoosier-made products and supporting local farmers and producers. More than 1,100 participants are part of the program, including farmers, farmers markets, distributors, wineries, breweries and artisans.
Johnson County boasts a number of members, including Poe Quality Meats in Franklin, Middle Davids Artisan Candles in Franklin and S and E Produce and Flowers out of Greenwood.
Hartwell’s Premium has been part of the program since the beginning.
The company’s line of salad dressings grew from another business venture of owners Bryant and Jason West. The pair also own Grafton Peek Catering, and for years have made their own salad dressings to serve at events.
“For a decade or more, we’d get compliments specifically on the salad dressing,” Bryant said. “We had the idea to really just take a chance at trying to put it in jars and see what we come up with. It went from there.”
The Hartwell’s Premium line includes varieties such as a lemon herb vinaigrette, a honey balsamic vinaigrette, a blue cheese vinaigrette, savory Orange Goddess and Calypso Red, a bold French dressing. But its signature flavor is a creamy dill ranch.
“Everyone loves ranch. I call it ‘America’s ketchup,’” Bryant said.
Over the past six years, Bryant and West have worked to get their dressings in local grocery stores, as Hartwell’s Premium can be found in more than 100 Kroger stores and about 10 area Meijer stores. In addition, they’ve had their products included in a number of Indiana Grown showcases, including events at the statehouse.
Last year, they took part in the state fair marketplace, and wanted to do it again.
“For us being small business, we understand the struggles and commitment that you have to do to pull something like this off,” Bryant said. “We’ve met people from all kinds of varying fields. We’re all kind of swimming in the same river, and it’s nice to see people and see them grow.”
The Indiana Grown marketplace will feature more than 500 products, which will be available for purchase. The market will also have regular demonstrations by Indiana Grown members, offering recipes and techniques to creatively use their products.
In 2018, Bryant and West were able to do a tutorial on how to use their products outside of just salads, such as in marinades or sandwiches.
“The state fair is something you remember as a kid, going into it and seeing all that they have to offer. So being a part of it is pretty incredible,” Bryant said.
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Indiana Grown Marketplace
What: A collection of products available for purchase made entirely by Indiana producers.
How many products: More than 500
How many participating companies: Over 100
When’s it open: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Where to find it: At the Purdue Extension Agriculture and Horticulture Building, located on the west end of the fairgrounds near the midway.
Information: indianastatefair.com
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