Soil Born Farms

[img_assist|nid=1353|title=|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=350|height=206]Soil Born Farms, a prized addition to MESA’s 2010 Host Farm roster, truly elevates the role agriculture plays within an urban community.

Formerly a humble for-profit Urban Agriculture Project started in 2000, Soil Born has since refined its values and goals. The Farm not only includes the production of wholesome organic products, but has also positioned itself as an educational centre within the Sacramento community, officially becoming a not-for-profit organization in 2004. The farm, its Founders, Program Staff and Board focus on the unmitigated benefits of locally and scrupulously produced agriculture. Soil Born hosts on-site classes on various topics such as solar cooking, backyard bee keeping, and habitat restoration, focuses on promoting environmental conservation and awareness, and empowering the local community.

Another cornerstone of Soil Born’s focus is on youth education, encouraging the next generation to become involved at an early age in their food choices, as well as promoting a lifelong affinity and connection with their environment. Through hands-on farm training, classes, community service, and farm-to-school programs, Soil Born introduces local youth to a taste of organic produce and paves the path for enlightened lifestyle choices that affect young people, their families and the environment.

Soil Born shares a strong belief that fresh, local and healthy food should be accessible to all areas of the community.  Accordingly, the farm runs a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) project that allows local residents to visit several different locations to partake of seasonal fruits and vegetables from the farm. Urban produce stations are also situated in typically low-income or underserved communities, giving residents access to affordable, fresh, organic and healthy produce.

With Soil Born’s net cast so widely in the process of highlighting the importance of local, sustainable and organic agriculture, MESA Steward Joel “Armando” Huaroto (Peru), stands to greatly benefit from the Farm’s vast array of programs and activities. Since joining the Soil Born crew in late March, Armando has become an active participant at Soil Born Farm. He recently wrote an article for the Soil Born Digest. Check it out!

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