Fields Market Garden is no average urban garden; it is a blossoming common space fostering community connection, both with one another and the earth.
Planted in 2019 on land donated by Old Town, the garden has flourished under the stewardship of urban farmer Kate Sexton. She is proud to have more than doubled the garden space since joining the nonprofit in 2023, and there’s still room to grow.
Beyond cultivating crops, Fields Market Garden is deeply rooted in the community. It provides employment opportunities for North End residents with intellectual or developmental disabilities (ID/DD), offering a chance to contribute to their neighborhood. The garden is a place for meaningful, accessible employment for those who may otherwise have none. “We encourage integrated engagement opportunities for our neighbors with ID/DD,” Sexton says. “We usually have a mix of North End neighbors and outside community members for our volunteer times, workshops and events.”
There will be no shortage of those events this fall. Though temperatures will drop, Fields Market Garden will remain a hive of activity. The calendar is filled with workshops like seed-saving and dried flower crafting, as well as a seasonal Pumpkin Party and holiday ornament making. For those with a flair for the floral, a bouquet-making workshop will teach you how to expertly arrange the garden’s array of flowers, like sunflowers and zinnias, into a stunning centerpiece. Pre-made bouquets are also available for purchase at Joe’s Butcher Shop, and just as lovely. Visitors to the garden can look forward to a bountiful harvest of fresh produce, including tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, carrots, beets, kale, broccoli and pumpkins.
The garden’s continued success would not be possible without the enthusiastic approval of Carmel residents. Sexton and her team have received very positive feedback as well as generous financial support. “We have received grants from Merchants Foundation Fund VII, The Rotary Club of Carmel, NRCS U.S. Department of Agriculture, and IHCDA through their CreatINg Places program to fund the buildout of our operation space,” Sexton says.
Those funds, like the rest of the effort and energy at Fields Market Garden, will be put to good use. Up next: building a greenhouse. This project will extend the growing season and provide a new space for learning and gathering. “We are planning to build our greenhouse with the help of volunteers this fall,” Sexton says. “Once the structure is up, we will have a ribbon-cutting celebration for the space and may host another event in the winter to honor the greenhouse and the community effort in bringing it to life.”
Fields Market Garden is more than a place to grow food; it’s a place where people grow together. By combining agriculture with community engagement, the garden is cultivating a thriving ecosystem where individuals and the environment flourish.
See, shop, or support the work of Fields Market Garden at 270 West Smoky Row in Carmel, and online at fieldsmarketgarden.com. To set up a tour of the farm, contact Sexton at fieldsmarketgarden@gmail.com, or at 317-843-0727. You can also follow the garden’s growth on Instagram and Facebook @fieldsmarketgarden.
