About Island Grown Initiative

IGI was founded in 2005 by a group of farmers, grocers, feed store owners, cooks, food writers, educators and parents. Our mission is to increase both the supply and demand of locally grown food, for the health of our island environment and community and for the family farmers who keep agriculture alive on the Vineyard.

"We want people to be more connected to what they eat, to step on the ground at farms to see that eggs actually come from chickens and not from a fridge in a supermarket," says Ali Berlow, Executive Director of IGI. "There is a trust between the grower and consumer when they can walk onto a farm and find out where their food comes from."

In the summer of 2005, IGI published a map of the 28 producing farms on the Vineyard and launched our Island Grown display at Cronig’s Market in Vineyard Haven, with information about the importance of buying local and profiles of island farming families.

"Our farm posters and map brochure aim to identify and connect the consumer with who is growing their food,” says Randi Baird, local photographer and founding member of IGI. “The posters show farmers in their fields, what they grow and has a short history about the farm. We hope the maps and posters will encourage islanders and visitors to get to know our local farmers and to buy directly from island farm families.”

IGI is a part of a long-standing movement on the Vineyard to protect local farm land, support farming families, and provide the freshest local food to island visitors and residents. IGI has worked in collaboration with the MV Agricultural Society, Slow Food MV and the FARM Institute. The Farm Neck Foundation, Permanent Endowment Fund of Martha's Vineyard and the MV Hebrew Center have provided foundational support. IGI has received financial support from Cronig's, Dakota Organic Beef, South Mountain Building Company and private donors.

This year, we are focusing on four main projects:

• Increasing local meat and poultry production
In 2007, we are launching our Pastured Poultry Project, networking island producers with one another and working with them to develop locally-based, humane slaughter and processing solutions.
• Helping farmers work together
We are networking with local growers to increase cooperative buying, coordinate purchasing trips, and share needs and opportunities for hiring skilled farm labor.
• Identifying land that can be zoned to stay in permanent food production
With the high cost of land on the Vineyard today, IGI understands the challenges of making farming a viable way for islanders to make their living. We hope to use this process to make more land available for farmers to use at a reasonable price.
• Increasing public education about the importance of supporting local agriculture
We organize a speaker series, share information at community events, and display materials at local grocery stores.

We hope that you will join us as we work to support and celebrate local agriculture. For more information or to become involved in any of our projects, please contact us at info@islandgrown.org.