LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) Lincoln organic farmers are seeing fewer businesses purchasing their products but more interest in sustainable farm-to-table produce.

One farmer said that during COVID-19, he lost contact with all of the businesses he used to work with, as many of them closed for good or temporarily. He is hoping to make more connections in the community and show the variety of organic produce cultivated right here in Nebraska.

We will need support, Eugene Ekinde said. City government, businesses why not the governors office? to support the small-scale, organic farmers in Lincoln. Any help will be appreciated.

The Hub Cafe in Lincoln sources around 60% of its products locally. It has always cost more, but the executive chef says its worth it.

It hinders us from a cost aspect, but being able to promote what youre doing as far as the quality that you are increasing by using the local product, that is a novelty aspect that the consumer is really into, Jacob Thiessen said. If you are able to promote that and show how good that can be, than the cost is mitigated.

The interest in farm-to-table food has skyrocketed as more people want fresh, local ingredients.

People are wanting to support their local economies and are really interested in buying produce and local products just because its so much fresher than when it gets shipped in nationally from somewhere else, or even from a different country, said Amy Gerdes, director of operations at Community Crops.

Community Crops is a nonprofit in Lincoln with two locations where local farmers can grow food, as well as 12 community gardens and one urban ag site. The number of applicants interested in having a plot to grow their own produce continues to explode.

We did see a lot more demand in 2020, Gerdes said. We had a 90-person waiting list, which is at least three to four times more than we normally have. This year, we have just over 200 gardeners.

Community Crops has one of its annual events on Saturday. Twelve to 15 local chefs will use fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, and meat from Community Crops and its partners to highlight the masterpieces you can make with the farm-to-table concept.

We just want to tell everybody how great this produce is, and we want more people to be involved in consuming local products, Thiessen said.

Feast on the Farm starts at 5 p.m. at Prairie Pines.

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Lincoln organic farmers took pandemic hit, but interest in farm-to-table is bright spot - KLKN