Churches' Center for Land and People, a Wisconsin-based organization geared toward helping local farmers and raising community awareness, is heading into the prime of its season.

Tony Ends, the executive director of CCLP, said the group hosts indoor winter farmers markets from November to April in Wisconsin, Iowa and Illinois.

The main goals of the organization are to help the greater economic good, provide stewardship, raise community awareness and providing spirituality for the farming community, Ends said.

"There is a situation in America and across the country where farmers aren't making enough to survive," Ends said.

CCLP is a non-denominational organization that includes nine denominations and five Catholic religious orders, he said.

While CCLP is not supported by the Archdioceses of Milwaukee, Ends said Archbishop Timothy Dolan has supported CCLP's mission with a letter requesting that churches participate in the group's efforts.

One way the organization works to help local farmers is by bringing them together with religious leaders and farming advocates, Ends said.

Farmers are not able to keep up with the cost of production, he said.

"When a consumer buys bread for a dollar, only 4 cents goes to the farmer and production expenses are 6 cents," he said.

He added that some farmers are being forced to work full-time jobs in addition to farming, or to use federal subsidies.

"We help (the farmers) add value to their product," Ends said.

Jim Earles, project coordinator in Iowa, said CCLP organizes winter farmers markets where farmers come and sell their leftover products from the summer season.

"Most family farmers are below the level of poverty," he said.

The organization's first winter farmers market was held in Madison in 2003. Since then, the indoor markets have spread to 45 cities. The organization's goal for this year is to have 60 to 70 markets, Ends said.

Farmers who bring their goods to the market typically sell goods that range from meat and cheese to wool, honey and soaps, Earles said.

Earles said the winter farmers markets have three main goals: directly helping farm families, informing the public and helping churches provide additional avenues for helping the public.

Tim Smith, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Oak Park, Ill., said his parish has been involved and hosting the winter farmers markets for three years.

"(CCLP) raises awareness for those of us who can't see beyond the McDonald's counter where our food comes from," he said.

Smith said an average market brings in 300 to 400 patrons.

"It's a theology of food and one way we can help preserve this way of life," Smith said.

In the next five years, Ends said he hopes to expand the network to have close to 100 churches and full-time coordinators for each state.

"We're also hoping to link young farmers together who are looking to become involved with in direct and alternative markets," he said. "We can help place them on religious properties."

Ends said CCLP is a nonprofit organization that relies on sponsors, grants and project income for funding.

"We sell other items like organic coffee, soap and an anthology about food issues to the various churches," he said.

Earles said one of the biggest struggles he encounters is trying to advertise and recruit patrons.

"Even if you don't buy anything, you're still supporting local farmers," he said.