The Sky Farm
By Hannah Lambalot | Categories: | Comments Off on The Sky Farm
Wellness and prevention have long been key components of the Eskenazi Health model of care. Through a large primary care network, numerous community-based health fairs, the Eskenazi Health Farmers’ Market and other initiatives, Eskenazi Health has been committed to community health and wellness. Dr. Lisa Harris, CEO of Eskenazi Health, believes the best opportunity to improve the lives of patients and, by extension, the health and vitality of our community lies in helping individuals stay well. Several years ago, employees at then Wishard Health Services (now Eskenazi Health), developed a garden area in a courtyard where employees could plant and grow flowers as well as fruits and vegetables. When plans moved forward to build a new hospital campus, leaders looked at ways to enhance its commitment to wellness for employees, patients, and visitors.
The construction of The Sky Farm occurred as part of the overall construction of the Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital and Eskenazi Health campus, which opened in December 2013. Marion County voters approved construction of new facilities to replace the Wishard Memorial Hospital campus in the Nov. 3, 2009 election, with 85 percent support for the measure. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi of Indianapolis contributed $40 million to the project’s capital campaign in June 2011, and Health & Hospital Corporation of Marion County recognized their gift in naming the new hospital the Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital, as well as the campus and system Eskenazi Health.
A number of individuals and organizations were involved, including RATIO Architects, Inc., of Indianapolis. The original design of The Sky Farm at Eskenazi Health was developed by Erik Reid Fulford of NINebark, Inc. Fulford was an Indianapolis-landscape architect who passed away in 2012. David Rubin of Land Collective, a world-renowned landscape architect, who also designed the outside main entrance landscape at the Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital, helped to carry out Fulford’s work.
The rooftop farm is utilized to grow fresh produce for patient education, which is distributed to the community at Eskenazi Health’s community health centers and given to employees during “Fresh Veggie Fridays” (FVF). In addition to the produce, the farm is home to approximately 500 bees to increase crop production through pollination. The Sky Farm, open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, has 24 crop beds, some of which are wheelchair height for easy accessibility, and produced and harvested more than 3,700 pounds of produce in 2018. Additionally, The Sky Farm, in partnership with the Eskenazi Health Food & Nutrition Services, provides classes, “Fresh Veggie Fridays” to sample healthy recipes, learn healthy cooking techniques, receive at-home gardening tips, and obtain fresh vegetables grown from The Sky Farm. “Fresh Veggie Fridays” hosts more than 1,000 visitors each season. It also welcomes field trips and tours throughout the year.
Produce grown on The Sky Farm is used to engage Eskenazi Health patients and employees. The Sky Farm Produce Classes are held at Eskenazi Health Center sites, with another 100 people participating in CSA-style 4-week classes. Each class includes a full nutrition lesson, cooking demo, recipe book, and take-home produce. Fresh Veggie Friday is a drop in nutrition, recipe sampling, and produce distribution free to employees, patients, and visitors during the summer growing season. Around 125 people attend each session, there are 10 sessions each summer.
The Sky Farm opened as part of the opening of the Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital and Eskenazi Health campus in December 2013 and we are finishing up our sixth growing season. Overall, through our various programs, we distribute about 3,000 pounds of produce with cooking and nutrition education directly into our community at no cost to the participants.