Food Hubs Connected Through Farmers: Our Partnership With Dreaming Out Loud

While Farmer Foodshare by and large operates within North Carolina, our work occasionally takes us beyond state lines.  

We’ve been making deliveries to Dreaming Out Loud, a food hub dedicated to building a healthier food system for marginalized communities in the DC area and neighboring states.

Left: The food hub team readies the truck for delivery to Dreaming Out Loud.

At its core, Dreaming Out Loud is a network of farmers and food producers addressing food access and cultivating community health, and its mission is lived out through food aggregation, farmers markets, prepared foods, trainings, and entrepreneurial opportunities, among other actions.  

But how did two food hubs 257 miles away from each other connect? The answer lies with a farmer in Eastern North Carolina…and a growing collective of food hubs regenerating our regional food system.  

Kelton Moore of Moore’s Produce Family Farm tends 25 acres of farmland that has been in his family for four generations and grows mixed veggies for food access work and resale customers, like 4P Foods, a regional food wholesaler responsibly sourcing from independent farmers with operations across Virginia, Maryland, and DC.   

Both 4P and Moore’s Produce Family Farm have been part of Farmer Foodshare’s network for several years – but we’re not their only shared partner. Dreaming Out Loud’s first link to NC farmers, including Kelton Moore, was through 4P, although our association goes beyond strictly business. Farmer Foodshare, 4P, and Dreaming Out Loud all team up to strengthen independent supply chains through The Eastern Food Hub Collaborative (EFC), a network of food justice organizations cultivating community and mutual support with members spanning South Carolina to Maine.  

Dreaming Out Loud was inspired to join Farmer Foodshare’s customer network in order to procure food from Moore’s Produce Family Farm and other NC producers directly. Sourcing further south gives Dreaming Out Loud the advantage of extended seasons. When farms up north wrap up their harvests, NC growers have produce available for several more weeks. Direct sourcing also increases product freshness and offers more competitive pricing.

Above: Edmond loads a pallet of corn on the delivery truck.

Since late spring, our fearless Distribution Associate, Edmond, has made the trek up to DC with full truckloads, sometimes twice a week! Our NC-grown produce has supported Dreaming Out Loud’s wholesale and CSA programming – several varieties of our novelty melons went to elementary school partners! Plus, collaborating with us means Dreaming Out Loud supports socially disadvantaged farmers, a key component of their mission. 

Food justice is a team effort, and our work wouldn’t be possible without the vibrant community and dedicated partners that show up every day to make it happen!

Featured image: Several melon varieties of our novelty melons, including watermelons from Jackson Farming Company, went to Dreaming Out Loud elementary school partners.