Eden Stewart walked into a bank one day and saw a sign that sparked her interest. That small sign, "Free Produce," placed by a bunch of green veggies, lit up her radar.
"I thought, 'There's a lot of produce around here, and then there's others who don't have any,'" she said. "Most of the people (at that time) drove 30 minutes to get the majority of their groceries."
Stewart and her husband, both college students at Illinois State University, made the small farming community of Manito their home. The area's reality -- some people had a surplus, while others were in need.
A Farmers Market seemed like the logical idea to bring those two areas of the community together.
Today, Stewart uses those life experiences to help McDonald County neighbors. As a Nutrition Program Associate with the University of Missouri Extension, Stewart has worked hard to grow the program since joining the team two and a half years ago.
Northwest Arkansas natives, Stewart and her husband, Wes McNeely, decided to return to the area after graduation from college. With a bachelor of science degree in studio arts and a minor in philosophy, she set to work finding a mission that would be close to her heart.
Stewart worked for a nonprofit in northwest Arkansas, overseeing school gardens. That work, coupled with her efforts in launching a Farmers Market, led her to her present position.
Stewart learned a great deal from establishing a Farmers Market. She attended town hall meetings and talked with business owners, conducted research, followed procedures, filed paperwork and launched the Farmers Market.
During the three-year tenure she and her husband oversaw operations, she ran the gamut in celebrating and promoting a community's assets.
"Farmers Markets are good for the community. It brings a community together, with friends and neighbors. It helps the local economy and people get fresh, local food," she said.
"It was an interesting learning experience," she said.
From that, she learned a great deal about marketing, printing recipes for the farmers produce and helping sell items at the Farmers Market.
"You can do more with squash than just fry it," she said, laughing.
Having that hands-on experience guides her career in McDonald County, as she hosts children and adult education classes, helps school children build and harvest gardens and works with people to create nutritious meal plans.
Stewart's office is located in Pineville, but she travels to schools, the library and other places to help McDonald County neighbors. Some referrals are made through Family Care Access, which is located next to Crosslines Food Pantry. Stewart works to help others make healthier choices.
The USDA-based curriculum she presents is helpful in providing scientific facts about nutrition. "This is what we know and why," she explains.
Some people say it's difficult to make positive changes in one's diet. She hears a variety of responses, including that eating healthy is too expensive.
Stewart explains that the economy works by supply and demand. She tells folks that food costs can be driven by what they buy each time at the store. "You basically vote at the cash register," she said.
Bigger stores have come a long way in offering more of a fresh selection at better prices. More folks who make healthier choices will drive down those costs, she said.
Stewart also works with people who wish for a change but don't know where to begin.
"I try to facilitate making small steps in someone's diet," she said. Rinsing off canned veggies can help reduce sodium, starting small in an exercise routine can help someone stick to the new plan. Drinking two percent milk instead of whole milk is another small start in making better choices, she said.
Stewart takes that information and tries to build a solid foundation for youngsters in the garden and in the classroom.
In Noel, Stewart and another teacher have teamed up to make sure the garden is successful. The children plant, harvest, clean and take the produce to the cafeteria. The cafeteria has benefited a great deal from the loads of fresh produce, she said.
To drive home other points, Stewart makes kale chips or a salad with fresh lettuce, so school children have ideas for eating produce straight out of the garden.
In Pineville, Stewart is launching a container garden by utilizing an old kiddie pool, and enlisting the help of children to get the planting going.
She instills thisthought pattern: You are what you eat. And for children, she tries to instill that good habits start young. An elementary-age student needs to think about the things he or she likes to do and if, in coming years, he or she still will be able to do that.
She uses her own hobby as an example. She and her husband like to camp and hike. They usually hike in and haul up to 50 pounds of gear. She tells school children that what food she consumes now -- and in the future -- will determine if she will still be able to actively hike in and carry that amount of gear.
Planting those seeds of food knowledge are important. Stewart is rewarded by seeing the children's faces when they harvest their own produce.
Radishes, carrots and beets in particular aren't seen until harvested. The children often pull up the produce and are surprised by what they see, Stewart said.
"They'll pull up a carrot and say, 'I didn't realize it was this big,'" she said. "They are pretty proud."
Stewart is delighted to see the connection. She tries to be a cheerleader of sorts for those who want to better themselves and their families.
"I really love what I do. What we consume affects the way our body performs," she says. "I want to help people get healthy and active, and help them connect with food that maybe they wouldn't have."
General News on 05/25/2017