Locally Grown Food in Springfield Missouri From SWI Industrial Solutions

For more than 50 years, Springfield Workshop Incorporated (SWI) Industrial Solutions has provided meaningful employment opportunities for individuals with developmental disabilities. The bulk of this is through SWI’s manufacturing and light assembly facility, where differently-abled employees earn a living wage while learning valuable life skills. We’ve recently gotten a little more acquainted with SWI through their Sunny Bunny produce truck, which visits our Battlefield location every Tuesday.

The Mission

SWI is focused on improving the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities by providing meaningful work. SWI’s employment opportunities help employees develop work ethic, maintain employer relationships, expand work skills to work toward independence – and, perhaps most importantly, advocate for the inclusion of differently-abled individuals in all aspects of community life. We think that’s something to celebrate.

Sunny Bunny Garden Produce Stand

The Sunny Bunny Garden is a fundraising arm of SWI that grows and sells fresh local produce. The garden produces everything from tomatoes and zucchini to yellow squash and local honey – all of which are sold to support SWI’s workshop, which employs individuals with developmental disabilities. You can catch the Sunny Bunny Garden produce stand in a few community locations during the week from 9 am to 2:30 pm:

• Tuesdays: Half-A-Hill Shopping Center (next to our Battlefield location)
• Wednesdays: Intersection of Kansas Avenue and Battlefield
• Thursdays: Oak Star Bank on Battlefield

Other Ways to Explore Local Produce

• • Visit the Farmers Market: Farmers markets offer a variety of benefits for both farmers and consumers. Visiting a farmers market is a great way to explore the food products being grown in our own backyard while supporting small farmers and stimulating the local economy. Farmers markets are a great resource, boosting access to fresh, nutritious food – often at lower prices than you might find at the supermarkets. Buying food directly from a local farmer also means you’ll get more information on where and how your food is raised. You might even get some cooking tips if you’re lucky.
  • Farm-to-Table Dining: Farm-to-table dining has made a major splash in our local culinary scene, and it’s not hard to see why. The Springfield area is home to a rich farming culture, with passionate independent farmers producing everything from organic veggies to responsibly-raised meat. Springfield’s culinary scene is full of restaurants that prioritize locally-grown produce, and Bambinos is no exception. We’re proud to work with a small farm out of Willard for our produce.
  • Try a CSA Share: Community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs give everyday consumers direct access to locally-grown seasonal produce. Signing up for a CSA program is easy; most CSA programs have an annual or twice-annual fee that then entitles members to a weekly or monthly produce haul. CSA shares are a great way to support local agriculture, but they can also be a major boon in the kitchen, exposing consumers to unique types of produce and food preparation methods. The Springfield area is home to lots of farms with CSA share options, so it’s easy to find one that’s right for you.

  With fuel and food costs rising worldwide, buying locally grown food in Springfield Missouri makes a whole lot of sense. Fortunately, it’s as easy as popping by our Battlefield location on Tuesdays to visit the Sunny Bunny produce truck. You can pick up a haul of fresh produce while supporting SWI’s mission. After that, you can get a taste of some of the area’s best local produce at Bambinos. We’re proud to work with local farmers, and we think you can taste the difference. Swing by our Battlefield location or our Delmar location, or check out our full menu online.