Discover Wyoming's thriving local food movement through the state's innovative Food Freedom Markets. This episode of Our Wyoming explores how the Wyoming Food Freedom Act has transformed rural food access, focusing on Fremont County's success stories: the Fremont Local Market in Riverton and Lander's Meadowlark Market & Kitchen. Learn how these grassroots, nonprofit-managed marketplaces connect local farmers, ranchers, and food artisans directly with their communities. See how these markets are boosting rural economies by creating jobs, supporting agricultural entrepreneurs, and expanding access to fresh, locally-grown produce, meats, dairy products, and baked goods. Join us for an inside look at how Wyoming's food freedom markets are revolutionizing local food distribution, strengthening community ties, and promoting sustainable food systems across the Cowboy State.

Producer: Melissa Hemken

Videographer: Kyle Duba

Selected Works

Wyoming PBS: Food Freedom MarketsVideo Short

Meaningful Marketplace: a journey of food and entrepreneurshipPodcast

RootednessInteractive StoryMap

Western Horseman: Burly Mountain WomenMagazine Column

Wyoming, Let's GrowInteractive StoryMap

Western Horseman: Of Horses and MountainsMagazine Feature

Daily Yonder: Pioneer BooksellersOnline

Western Horseman: Packer StyleMagazine Column

Western Horseman: Stay ShodMagazine Column

Western Horseman: Don't Lose Your StockMagazine Column

Working Ranch: All About the BeefMagazine Feature

Daily Yonder: Mr. D's Food CenterOnline

Working Ranch: They Weigh Every DecisionMagazine Feature

Western Horseman: Adventures with BobMagazine Feature

Western Horseman: Swell AdventureMagazine Feature

Working Ranch: New Model for Grazing Federal Land?Magazine Feature

Farm & Ranch: Ranch ResiliencyMagazine

Western Horseman: Beth EvansMagazine

Farm & Ranch: Good for the Herd, and the BirdsMagazine

Grow Your Own: Food, Jobs and CommunityInteractive StoryMap

Cowboys & Indians: By Western HandsMagazine Feature

Working Ranch: Circle of LifeMagazine Feature

Western Horseman: Yellowstone By HorseMagazine Feature

Cowboys & Indians: The Return of the BisonMagazine Photo Essay

Working Ranch: Ranching for the BirdsMagazine Feature

Working Ranch: Beef Food ChainMagazine Feature

Working Ranch: Marvelous MarketingMagazine Feature

Working Ranch: Ranch + ProfitMagazine Feature

Working Ranch: Cover PhotoCover Photo

Thunder Feathers: Greater Sage Grouse Strut the PlainsArts & Sciences Educational Programs and Exhibition

Western Horseman: Chelsea DeeringMagazine

Western Horseman: Grasslands GambolMagazine Column

Western Farmer-Stockman: Rethinking drip irrigation for vineyardsOnline

Western Farmer-Stockman: Researchers Dig into ScienceOnline

Working Ranch: Prairie PerfectMagazine Feature

Western Horseman: The Art of the Pack StringMagazine Column

Book: Cover PhotoCover Photo

Cowboys & Indians: Creative Indigenous CollectiveMagazine Feature

Western Horseman: Hooves, Rocks and BogsMagazine Column

Western Horseman: Horse Shape and Saddle FitMagazine Online

Western Horseman: Craftsman Keith SeidelMagazine

Cowboys & Indians: A Small Town FourthMagazine Photo Essay

Working Ranch: Big Island BeefMagazine

Western Farmer-Stockman: Washington growers best on a new appleOnline

Western Horseman: Horsepacker for HireMagazine

Cowboys & Indians: Kathryn Mapes TurnerMagazine

Working Ranch: Living in the Land of GrassMagazine

Western Farmer-Stockman: Turning Remote Sensing on a fungusOnline

Western Horseman: Packing the Middle CountryMagazine

Cowboys & Indians: Native Nations NowMagazine

Cowboys & Indians: Inspiration PointMagazine

Western Farm Press: Calif. methane regulations energize innovationsOnline

Western Horseman: Living with the CattleMagazine

Working Ranch: Cover PhotoCover Photo

Cowboys & Indians: Where the Elk RoamMagazine

Working Ranch: Goals, Gains & Getting AlongMagazine

Cowboys & Indians: The Family RanchMagazine

Working Ranch: Sandhill StoryMagazine

Western Farmer-Stockman: Defining Pests on the FarmOnline

Western Horseman: Paleo PackingMagazine

Wind River Wild Horse Sanctuary Visitor CenterInterpretative Display

Cowboys & Indians: Let Them Be WildMagazine

Western Farmer-Stockman: Is your pest control killing beneficial?Online

Western Horseman: Jennifer WomackMagazine

Western Horseman: Hard Work & Big BucksMagazine

Western Horseman: Jillian McGinnisMagazine

Cowboys & Indians: Carrie WildMagazine

Western Horseman: Steer Clear of Perfect StormsMagazine

Western Farmer-Stockman: Matching Cattle to ClimateOnline

Western Horseman: Wilderness MedMagazine

Working Ranch: Cover PhotoCover Photo

Western Horseman: Don't Flip ItMagazine

Working Ranch: The Green River DriftMagazine Photo Essay

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