Soil Born Farm Urban Agriculture Project

OUR MISSION IS TO CREATE AN URBAN AGRICULTURE AND EDUCATION PROJECT THAT EMPOWERS YOUTH AND ADULTS TO DISCOVER AND PARTICIPATE IN A LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM THAT ENCOURAGES HEALTHY LIVING, NURTURES THE ENVIRONMENT AND GROWS A SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY.

URBAN FARMING AND FOOD ACCESS: -DEVELOPED AND RAN AN URBAN COMMUNITY FARM ON 55+ ACRES. SUPPORTED THE DEVELOPMENT OF SIX OTHER URBAN FARMING EFFORTS IN SACRAMENTO COUNTY. -DEVELOPED A COMPREHENSIVE 7.5 MONTH APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING PROGRAM THAT HAS TRAINED WITH OVER 50 ASPIRING FARMERS. 80% OF THESE TRAININGS ARE STILL IN FOOD RELATED CAREERS. -DEVELOPED FARMLAND ACCESS MODELS WITH BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE LANDOWNERS. -DEVELOPED THE FIRST CERTIFIED FARMERS MARKET IN SACRAMENTO COUNTY THAT DIRECTLY SERVES LOW INCOME RESIDENTS AND ALLOWS THE USE OF EBT (FOOD STAMPS) REDEMPTION. -LEAD AGENCY FOR 10 YEAR FOOD ACCESS INITIATIVE IN SOUTH SACRAMENTO ASSOCIATED WITH THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT'S BUILDING HEALTHY COMMUNITY WORK. -DEVELOPED THE FIRST MOBILE URBAN FARM STAND MODEL FOR OUR SIX COUNTY REGION THAT IS UNIQUE IN ITS FOCUS ON SERVING LOW INCOME RESIDENTS. -CURRENTLY PRODUCING, GLEANING AND DISTRIBUTING OVER 200,000 POUNDS ANNUALLY OF HEALTHY LOCALLY GROWN PRODUCE. AN ESTIMATED 40,000 POUNDS OF THAT FOOD IS STRICTLY USED FOR DONATION PURPOSES FOR LOCAL FOOD BANKS AND FOOD CLOSETS. -CURRENTLY ORGANIZE AND MANAGE A REGIONAL URBAN FOOD FOREST GLEANING PROGRAM THAT COLLECTS AND DONATES OVER 50,000 POUNDS OF FRESH FRUIT EACH YEAR FROM URBAN HOMEOWNERS AND LOCAL BUSINESSES. -NEIGHBORWOODS/WE DIG IT: PARTNERING ON FRUIT TREE PLANTING AND GARDEN BUILD PROGRAM SERVING ELIGIBILE NEIGHBORHOODS IN SOUTH SACRAMENTO. -ASSISTED IN THE BUSINESS PLANNING FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A REGIONAL FOOD AGGREGATION HUB THAT IMPROVES THE FLOW OF FRESH PRODUCE FROM SMALL AND MID-SIZE LOCAL GROWERS TO INSTITUTIONAL CUSTOMERS SUCH AS SCHOOLS AND HOSPITALS.

YOUTH EDUCATION: -DEVELOPED & EXPANDED A SERVICE-BASED YOUTH CORPS EDUCATION & JOB TRAINING PROGRAM THAT HAS SERVED OVER 20,000 YOUTH IN THE LAST 10 YEARS. -DEVELOPED COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL GARDEN TRAINING PROGRAM SERVING SACRAMENTO COUNTY REGION. CURRENTLY DEVELOPING SCHOOL GARDEN PROGRAMS AT 7 SCHOOL SITES AND SUPPORTING DOZENS MORE THROUGHOUT THE AREA. -DEVELOPED A COMPRENSIVE YEAR-ROUND FIELD TRIP AND SUMMER CAMP PROGRAM FOR YOUTH FOCUSED ON HANDS-ON SKILLS BUILDING IN FOOD PRODUCTION, ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AND HEALTHY EATING. -DEVELOPED INNOVATIVE AND STANDARDS-BASED CURRICULUM FOR ALL OF OUR CORE PROGRAM COMPONENTS. -DEVELOPED A SET OF YOUTH OPERATING AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES THAT DEFINES OUR APPROACH TO YOUTH DEVELOPMENT. ADULT EDUCATION: -DEVELOPED A SUITE OF 170 ADULT EDUCATION CLASSES COVERING A WIDE RANGE OF FOOD PRODUCTION AND HEALTH RELATED ACTIVITIES THAT ARE OFFERED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.-DEVELOPED UNIQUE EDUCATION TRACKS FOR ADULTS INCLUDING: GROW YOUR GROCERIES (URBAN FOOD PRODUCTION), EAT THE RAINBOW (SIMPLE AND DELICIOUS COOKING), WELLNESS (WHOLE BODY AND MIND HEALTH) AND HERBALISM (CULINARY AND MEDICINAL HERBS FOR HEALTH). - DEVELOPED YEAR ROUND ADULT VOLUNTEER, APPRENTICE AND INTERN PROGRAMS SUPPORTING COMMUNITY FOOD PRODUCTION AND SCHOOL GARDEN PROGRAMMING THROUGHOUT SACRAMENTO COUNTY. -CREATED TWO SUCCESSFUL SEASONAL EVENTS INCLUDING THE AUTUMN EQUINOX CELEBRATION (20TH YEAR) AND THE DAY ON THE FARM (14TH YEAR).