Within the Conway community’s reach, Conway Locally Grown has served the public for almost two decades, offering fresh farm-to-table produce and delectables.

Since its beginning in 2009, like clockwork, customers of Conway Locally Grown have lined up to receive their fresh produce, with everything from bakery goods to jalapeno and cheddar sourdough bread.

Sandra Leyva, the heart and soul of Conway Locally Grown, runs the online farmers market.

“This is part of Conway’s local food ecosystem,” Leyva said. “We are one of the stepping stones for smaller farmers or big gardeners who want to start selling.

“It’s a whole part of the local food system where we care where our food comes from. It’s all about creating that community, about the sustainability that this food doesn’t travel thousands of miles. Most of it is from small, sustainable farms.”

The market offers a variety of products, including baked goods, vegetables, meat, milk, coffee, lotions, soaps, bath products, seeds, tamales, honey and more.

The online market currently has anywhere from 35-45 weekly customers, and it has only grown every year.

Conway Locally Grown emphasizes both the farmer and the customer, Leyva said.

“We charge 13% for the service, and then the rest just goes right to the farmer,” Leyva said. “Which means that it stays local, creates local jobs, and things like that. Whenever you’re buying something and you want to know more about that farm, you can do that easily.”

The online market, as Leyva says, isn’t just about the community, and also raises awareness for its healthier options.

“It’s much more than just food. It’s activism – knowing where your things come from and what kind of things you support. It’s healthier and fresher, so also tastier,” she said.

Gerald Plafcan, a volunteer and customer of the market, said that he prefers Conway Locally grown because of its affordable prices and its undisputed health benefits.

“We pretty much buy all of our stuff here,” Plafcan said. “You can’t find fresher than this. You can buy them at big-box stores, but they’ll not be as cheap as this.”

Conway Locally Grown works with over 50 local growers, bakers, and beekeepers to offer the Conway community fresh and affordable options.

3C’s Bees, a vendor on the website, has been selling through this platform for the last five years.

The bee farmer, Kevin Hoaglin, has grown his apiary to 100 hives and found out about Conway Locally Grown through a friend.

“When I put bees out on his farm three or four years ago, he told me to reach out to [Sandra], and that’s how I fell in the Conway Locally Grown,” Hoaglin said.

The online store operates off of a membership program, which makes these products available to central Arkansas communities.

The orders can be placed on Sunday through Tuesday, and orders are brought to St. Peter’s to be collected on Fridays, rain or shine.

For more information about Conway Locally Grown, visit LocallyGrown.net.