It’s only natural that Sara Rose Bryant and Misha Kaschock started an all-organic farmers market at their Linglestown-based studio, Yoga Nature.
After all, according to Bryant, both yoga and an organic diet are agreeable to the body.
“Yogis through the ages have deeply understood the simple and ancient idea: You are what you eat,” said Bryant. “[An organic farmer] studies the external landscape carefully like a yogi studies the internal states.”
Held during the summer on Sunday afternoons, the market offers an open-air, leisurely shopping experience, complete with prepared food and drinks, vegetables, herbs, cheese, bread, coffee, seafood, baked goods and more.
“We are unique in that we have this yogic backbone which seeks to create a deeper connection between the community, the farmers and the Earth,” said Bryant, explaining that the market is a full community experience, with featured artisans and musicians.
To further enhance the connection between food and health, Yoga Nature offers activities like drumming, yoga, dance, educational classes for adults and kids, community drum circles, henna tattoos and face painting. The studio also plans on hosting work and learning days with the farmers so that people can witness a direct correlation between the land and growing food.
Filling a Void
Bryant is quite comfortable with market culture, having spent much of her youth at her family’s oyster bar in the famous Pike Place Market in Seattle.
“The vibe at Pike Place is pure magic with abundant produce, buskers galore, beautiful foods, herbs and spices from every culture, fresh fish, local artisans, huge bouquets of flowers and bustling excitement all year long,” she said.
Even with so many organic farmers in the Harrisburg region, the couple saw a gap in the local offerings—no exclusively organic markets and no markets on Sundays. As their creative ideas came together, they toyed with the idea of filling the void.
Friends then mentioned that they wanted to create an organic garden and needed a place to sell their produce. This was just the happenchance Bryant and Kaschock needed to dive into creating the market.
“I had already had the seed of the idea for a farmer’s market outside of our yoga studio and so the idea sprouted,” Bryant said. “I decided to try to create a whole organic farmer’s market in less than three months.”
She added they dealt with a lot rejection in the beginning, but, believing in the concept, kept at it.
“It was difficult to assure farmers that we would have a good flow of patrons,” she said. “By the skin of our teeth, we managed to fill our very first market with vendors and, from there on out, it was a complete success.”
Mindful Eating
Yoga Nature allows market-goers to experience the nourishing and healing power of food harvested from the earth, right here in our local community.
With a year of the market under their belts, the couple continues to educate people on why buying local, organic whole foods is so vital to their health.
“We want to help people feel the difference between buying something at the store, off of a shelf with no connection to the people who grew it and how it got there, and knowing your farmers, how they work with the land, their names and stories,” Bryant explained. “We want to help people understand why buying local and organic is worth the extra 30 cents you might pay for that bundle of kale.”
Bryant has enjoyed watching people enjoy the fun, positive, health-oriented market. In addition to the food, the market fosters other principles of yoga, such as building relationships and community.
“What many people don’t realize is that yoga is more than just a movement practice. It is a way of life,” Bryant said. “Since Misha and I were given the yoga studio, we present this idea to our community in as many ways as we can. I feel proud to facilitate, connect and bring beautiful people together to create a wave of positive connection in the greater Harrisburg area.”
The Organic Farmers Market is held each Sunday through September, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., at Yoga Nature, 4400 Linglestown Rd., Harrisburg. For more information, call 717-695-7101 or visit www.yoganaturelife.com. You also can like Yoga Nature on Facebook. If you’d only like to sign up for the organic farmer’s market list, send an email to info@yoganaturelife.com. Photos by Haley Harned.
Market Vendors
The following vendors sell goods at the Organic Farmers Market at Yoga Nature.
- A+ Produce, Pitman – vegetables, herbs, flowers
- Camelot Valley, Dover – goat cheese
- EarthSpring Farm, Carlisle – organic produce
- Elementary Coffee Co., Harrisburg – locally roasted organic coffee beans, cold brew coffee
- Filey’s Pride, Dillsburg – organic produce
- JB Kelly Seafood Connection, Halifax – wild harvested seafood from Maine
- MidSt8 Taco, Lemoyne – tamales, tacos, freshly made tortillas
- RiJuice, Lancaster – organic juice
- Spring Gate Farm + Vineyard, Harrisburg – free range organic chicken eggs, seasonal berries
- Stoney Creek Valley Farm, Dauphin – plant starts, homemade herbal beverages
- Sunshine Bakery, Dillsburg – organic scones, homemade granola
