What to know about Sarah Dye, Schooner Creek Farm and the Bloomington Farmers' Market

Jill Bond and Carol Kugler, The Herald-Times
·4 min read
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Brown County resident Sarah Dye is once again making waves after registering a new business, Above Time Coffee Roasters, and launching social media accounts to advertise it.

In 2019, Dye was at the center of a controversy at the Bloomington Community Farmers' Market after she was linked to groups with white supremacist beliefs. The market became a battleground between Dye's supporters and those who wished to drive her out of business.

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Schooner Creek Farm, Dye's horticultural business, was a participant in the market from 2012 until 2019. The farm has paid for booth space at the downtown market since the controversy, but has not shown up for the Saturday market.

Sarah Dye organizes produce at the Schooner Creek Farm booth during an Aug. 17, 2019, session of the Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market next to City Hall.
Sarah Dye organizes produce at the Schooner Creek Farm booth during an Aug. 17, 2019, session of the Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market next to City Hall.

Who is Sarah Dye?

Sarah Dye and Doug Mackey are the co-owners of Schooner Creek Farm. Dye recently filed paperwork with the state of Indiana to incorporate a new business, Above Time Coffee Roasters.

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What started the protests at the Bloomington Community Farmers' Market?

Schooner Creek Farm was incorporated in 2011 and registered to participate in the Bloomington Community Farmers' Market in 2012. Complaints about the farm first appear in minutes from the Bloomington market's advisory council in 2018. The farm was ejected from the Nashville Farmers' Market in 2019, spurring a petition to stop the farm from participating in the Bloomington market. Dye admitted to posting white supremacist ideologies to a chat room under the name "Volkmom."

A counter-protester approaches Sarah Dye, left center, at the Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market July 27, 2019, after Bloomington police arrested a woman carrying a sign alleging Schooner Creek Farm’s association with a white nationalist hate group.
A counter-protester approaches Sarah Dye, left center, at the Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market July 27, 2019, after Bloomington police arrested a woman carrying a sign alleging Schooner Creek Farm’s association with a white nationalist hate group.

What happened during the protests?

In July 2019, Dye sought a protective order against Thomas Westgard, whom Dye accused of harassing her. A Brown County judge denied the request. Cara Caddoo was the first person to be arrested while carrying a protest sign near Schooner Creek Farm's booth at the Bloomington farmers' market. Caddoo was charged with misdemeanor trespass. Video of the arrest showed people protesting the booth and a line of men supporting the farm nearby.

At the end of July 2019, Bloomington Mayor John Hamilton suspended the market for two weeks due to threats from people with past ties to white nationalism. The market resumed with new public safety measures in place in August, including an increased police presence, new signage and cameras. Schooner Creek Farm returned to the market.

Westgard, Lesamarie Hacker, Charles Bonds, Ashley Pirani, and Forrest Gilmore, who was wearing a giant inflatable unicorn costume, were all arrested for protesting at the farmers' market in November 2019.

Demonstrators stand in front of the Schooner Creek Farm booth in August 2019 at the Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market. Authorities determined the masks constituted a sign and were asked to not display them. The demonstrators stopped with no incident.
Demonstrators stand in front of the Schooner Creek Farm booth in August 2019 at the Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market. Authorities determined the masks constituted a sign and were asked to not display them. The demonstrators stopped with no incident.

Why didn't the city kick Schooner Creek Farm out of the market?

The Bloomington Community Farmers' Market is operated by the city, unlike the Nashville Farmers' Market. The city examined its legal options and determined it could not exclude Schooner Creek Farm because to do so would violate the operator's First Amendment rights. Activists urged market leadership to privatize the market.

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In January 2020, after mediation and extensive discussion, Hamilton recommended the Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market remain public. The parks board agreed and the city retained control of the market. At least 90 market vendors signed a letter requesting the market remain public.

In February 2020, the parks board modified market rules to prohibit picketing, demonstrating, yelling, excessive or unreasonable noise-making, obstructing or hindering the flow of pedestrians or access to a vendor or other conduct that disrupts market activities.

What lawsuits were filed?

Caddoo filed suit in February 2020 claiming wrongful arrest, defamation of character and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Later that month, Schooner Creek Farm owners Dye and Mackey filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court citing First Amendment violations of free speech.

In April 2020, the city counter-sued Schooner Creek Farm for breach of contract, citing a clause in the vendor contract called a “covenant not to sue.” City officials said that meant the lawsuit filed by Schooner Creek Farm was moot.

In May 2020, Westgard filed a lawsuit seeking $500,000 in damages from the city, claiming wrongful arrest and infliction of emotional distress.

Ruling made: Federal judge rules in favor of city in farmers' market lawsuit alleging discrimination

In January 2021, U.S. District Court Judge Richard L. Young ruled against Schooner Creek Farm owners Dye and Mackey in the lawsuit filed in February 2020 alleging discrimination of their free speech rights. The suit accused Hamilton, Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department administrator Paula McDevitt and former farmers’ market coordinator Marcia Veldman of prejudicial treatment.

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What have other groups done?

While there are no protesters at the Bloomington Community Farmers' Market anymore, at least one group, No Space for Hate, is continuing to watch and call for action against Schooner Creek Farm and other groups and people it believes are white supremacists. On its website, No Space for Hate has posted a letter to Etsy requesting the site take down the Schooner Creek Farm store as well as a letter to executives of GoFundMe concerning the farm's account.

What is Above Time Coffee Roasters?

On March 28, the state authorized Above Time Coffee Roasters LLC as a domestic limited liability company. Sarah Dye of Upper Schooner Road in Nashville is listed as the registered agent for the company.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Sarah Dye, Schooner Creek Farms, Above Time Coffee Roasters and more