Shelley Rich

What started as an effort to improve a backyard garden has grown into a thriving local honey business and a passion that continues to bring joy, relaxation and connection for local beekeeper John Waits with Bushel and a Peck Apiary.

John learned about the Sedgwick County Harvest Hub through Steven Foster, owner of SKF Farms, another Harvest Hub member. Today, Bushel and a Peck Apiary is one of only two honey distributors participating in the Hub is located on a corner of the SKF property.

Common Ground Producers & Growers has become an important part of the local food system in Kansas by connecting locally grown produce with neighborhoods that have limited access to fresh, healthy foods. Founded in 2014 by Donna Pearson McClish, the organization grew out of the legacy of the Pearson Family Farm, an urban farm that has served the Wichita community for more than 50 years. 

At Prairie Pines in Maize, the scent of lavender drifts across the fields on warm summer days. A surprising and delightful twist for a farm long known for Christmas trees, fall frights and family memories.

The idea for the lavender farm didn’t begin in a greenhouse or even in the garden. Jody Scott, who operates Prairie Pines with her husband, Kip, was reading a publication from the Christmas Tree Growers Association when she came across an article about farms planting lavender to fill slower summer months. It sparked something.