Prairie Gardens – A Success Story
A Woman-Led Business That Feeds the Community
Any day is a perfect day to give a shoutout to women-led businesses that improve the lives of their communities. One such business Prairie Gardens, a farm in Sturgeon County that offers high-quality, fresh, and affordable produce for everyone.
Meet Tam Andersen, who has been growing food for her community supported agriculture (CSA) fresh food program in response to the growing interest in local farms, and local fresh vegetables for locals . Now her business provides access to high-quality produce to a growing number of families in her community. She hosts monthly workshops, delivery to a city distribution point with this subscription services.
Find out how Tam made it possible in our latest article!
How This Women-Led Business Makes Quality Food Affordable
In this success story, learn about the real-life story of business owners and fellow entrepreneurs to nurture a thriving business.
Today we’d like to introduce you to Tam Andersen. Tam founded Prairie Gardens Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) in 2008 because she saw how the lack of connection to local fresh food options in the area hurt her community. Tam wanted to do her part to help.
Fifteen years later, her business provides access to high-quality produce to everyone in the community. She hosts monthly workshops, delivery to Edmonton downtown, and subscription services.
Prairie Gardens is a woman-owned farm and market garden that combats health and economic inequity by increasing access to affordable fresh food in underserved communities.
Our motto is, “Fresh food for all, because every hood should be healthy.”
In 2008, Prairie Gardens hosted the farm’s first CSA! Growing just two acres of vegetables, she has now expanded her farm to 25 acres of vegetables, strawberries, apples and cucurbits, a flock of heritage chickens, with her daughter, Laurel’s help.
How This Women-Led Business Makes Quality Food Affordable
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- Farmer Tam pulling carrots
In 2023, Prairie Gardens has continued to grow by diversifying the farm to leverage agri-tourism, with hands-on food growing workshops, and indigenous led human-land relationship building programs at the National Healing Forest, located on the farm. Currently, Prairie Gardens operates as a direct to consumer farm, selling fresh berries, apples and vegetables through three-season CSA – Summer, Fall and Deep Winter, plus with a summer weekend market on the farm. They deliver to The Butchery at RGE Road. a longtime collaborator, to downtown Edmonton every Thursday, for folks to pick their baskets up.
The Mission of Prairie Gardens
The Prairie Gardens team believes in the power of communities to develop, build, and sustain their own resources. Their main mission is to increase access to affordable, high-quality, and fresh food in underserved rural areas. In 2022, Prairie Gardens and a mighty team of volunteers has also served thousands of households as a supplier for the following food distribution programs in collaboration with non-profit organizations such as food banks:
- Edmonton Food Bank
- Bon Accord / Gibbons Food Bank
- Fort Saskatchewan Food Bank
- Morinville Food Bank
- Albert Food Bank
- Redwater Food Bank
“Our service is open to all, because high-quality fresh produce at a great price should be accessible for all. “
Tam Andersen
How This Women-Led Business Makes Quality Local Food Affordable
Prairie Gardens and the women-led hardworking team behind it have become a vital part of the economic ecosystem across the province of Alberta. The awards they receive are proof that they bring their mission to life:
- Alberta Farm Fresh Producer – Grower of the Year
- Food Influencer of the Year
- Alberta Greenhouse Grower of the Year
- Alberta Community Spirit Recipient
- Global TV Woman of Vision
Prairie Gardens continues to dream big, with sustainable plans for the future, even beyond the incredible impact they have already had, working to align the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, and by supporting action in Truth and Reconciliation with the guidance of Bill Bertschy, Elder-in-Residence, and Sundance Chief -Standing Bear.
The latest project? An Turtle Island Conservation Garden of indigenous food and medicine plants – ranging from the three sisters – corn, beans and squash to potatoes, ceremonial tobacco, kinnikinic, sweet grass and sage.
See how they help their community—we’re sure you’ll be inspired to support a business that serves a purpose.
