Meet Farmer Joan of Old Town Flowers

      Posted On: April 3, 2017

Joan Jach looks forward to her ritual set-up on market days: writing Old Town Flowers’ chalkboard prices, arranging her flower buckets, and grounding herself in the routine before the flood of customers. A veggie farmer turned floral, she finds local support at Illinois’ Champaign Farmers Market.

“In our age of social media and online shopping, farmers markets hold an important role as a place for real-life conversations between farmers and their customers.  I value each customer that visits my table and love answering questions, chatting about gardening, and giving high-fives to their kids!”

Joan puts every square foot of her quarter-of-an-acre growing space to use, and shares her blooming creations with Champaign. At the market, she enjoys being within the folds of community and the farmer camaraderie.

“As farmers, we are in the business together and the work of creating awareness of local food falls to all of us involved in the farming community.  Farmers markets are the place for both customers and farmers to marvel at the capacity of our land to produce healthy, beautiful food and flowers while preserving the health of our local ecosystems.”

Joan recognizes the contribution that she and her peers are capable of making with local support and appreciation. It really is all a marvel.