Heartland Communities

PROJECT COMPLETE
With mixed sentiments Heartland Communities and Plowshares Cooperative Food Hub are announcing the permanent closure of Plowshares at the Market in Electric Works/ Union Street Market.

The funding we have waited for from the USDA was not awarded to any organizations in Indiana, and so the market project cannot reopen.

We have no regrets, although we are sad that we cannot continue to serve local farms and food entrepreneurs in that location, and also sad that the neighbors, nearby workers, and visitors will not continue to have access to high quality local foods through Plowshares.

At the same time, we are super proud that the project reached every one of our objectives, and was a well-operated business that had an amazing 46% gross profit margin, even though the volume of sales was not enough to support continued operations. Well done and many thanks to our dedicated staff and food producers who participated! We are happy that in 30 months Plowshares put many tens of thousands of dollars into the hands of local farmers at that location.

Other projects continue to serve local farms and customers. In 2026 Plowshares Cooperative will again operate the Burmese Specialty Market, where we have put well over $500,000 in the hands of farmers since 2022, and the HEAL Markets where in 2025 we wrote checks to farmers for over $70,000.

Thanks to St. Joseph Community Health Foundation and McMillan Family Foundation, which funded the set-up of Plowshare at the Market in 2023.