What Is Farm to Table Food?
A Personal Look Inside Our Farm to Table Store in Indiana
Hey there — I’m Heather, and if we haven’t met yet, I’m the owner of The Market by Midwest Prime here in Oxford, Indiana. We’re a cozy little farm-to-table store tucked right on the historic town square, and I wanted to take a minute to share what “farm to table” really means — and why it’s more than just a trendy phrase on a restaurant menu.
So, let’s dig in.
What Is Farm to Table Food?
When I say “farm to table,” I mean real food — the kind that doesn’t come from a massive factory, doesn’t travel thousands of miles, and hasn’t been sitting in a warehouse for weeks.
Farm to table food skips the middlemen. It comes straight from the farm — often just a few miles down the road — to your table. No fillers, no weird preservatives, no guessing where it came from or how it was raised.
At The Market, our farm-to-table promise means:
- Our pasture-raised Angus beef and Berkshire pork come from our own sixth-generation family farm.
- The dairy, eggs, and honey are sourced from small Indiana family farms we know and trust.
- The baked goods and freezer meals are made right in our commercial kitchen using ingredients we sell in the store.
This isn’t factory food. This is food with a face, a name, and a story behind it.
Since opening The Market, I’ve spent time traveling around Indiana, visiting with farmers and makers, walking their barns, seeing their kitchens, and hearing their stories. I can tell you something personal about every single farm or small business we carry. That connection matters — to me, and to the people who shop here.
Why We Started a Farm to Table Store in Indiana
Like a lot of moms, my food journey started when I had kids. I began asking questions — What’s really in this food? Where does it come from? And honestly, I didn’t like the answers I was getting at the grocery store.
So we decided to do things differently.
My husband and I raise our animals with care, and we built The Market to give other families an easier way to get their hands on quality, whole food — without having to make five different stops or worry about confusing labels.
If you’ve ever wondered where your food came from or wanted to shop more intentionally, this place was built for you.
What It’s Like Inside The Market
Walking into The Market feels more like walking into someone’s home than a store — because that’s how I want it to feel. It’s cozy, comfortable, and laid-back. You might run into a neighbor, try a sample, or pick up something you didn’t even know you needed.
Our customers shop here for all kinds of reasons:
- Some come weekly for beef, eggs, and milk.
- Some stop in for a one-of-a-kind gift or a freezer meal after work.
- Others are on a mission to support small farms and clean up their food choices.
We see local families, Purdue students, Lafayette commuters, and people passing through who are just so happy to find a place like this.
Why Farm to Table Matters — Especially in Indiana
Indiana is full of hardworking family farms — but most of the time, their food ends up shipped off to big processors. It’s hard to find their products on store shelves, even if you live just a few miles from their barn.
That’s what we’re trying to change.
By shopping at a true farm to table store, you’re helping keep small farms in business. You’re choosing food that’s been raised with intention — and skipping the shortcuts, and long supply chains that dominate the food industry today.
Come See Us
If you’re in or around Lafayette, Purdue University, or anywhere in Benton County, come say hi! The Market is located at 102 E McConnel St., Oxford, IN 47971 — right on the town square.
Whether you’re ready to stock your freezer with pasture-raised meats or just curious about what farm to table really looks like, we’d love to welcome you in.
When you shop here, you’re not just supporting my family — you’re supporting dozens of small Indiana farmers and makers whose names and faces we know.
And if you’re not local but love what we’re doing, you can always learn more (or shop online!) at themarketbymidwestprime.com.
Thanks for being here — and for caring about where your food comes from.
– Heather