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A community approach to ending hunger - We grow fruits and vegetables on available plots of farm land using beginning farmers and volunteers , and distribute the produce via local food banks. Value proposition –
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A community approach to ending hunger - We grow fruits and vegetables on available plots of farm land using beginning farmers and volunteers , and distribute the produce via local food banks. • Value proposition – • connect underutilized resources such as idle land, beginning farmers and volunteers to produce locally grown nutritious fruits and vegetables and distribute to those in need • Grow thousands of lbs of fresh vegetables at a fraction of retail cost
Approximately 35,000 Yolo County residents are food insecure. • Food insecurity is the lack of dependable, affordable and convenient access to healthy foods • Our project attempts to help the Yolo Food Bank address all three aspects of food insecurity
How did this all start? • 1.5 acres isolated tract, fallow for years • Good soils, access to irrigation water • Yolo Food Connect • Partners • Yolo Food Bank • Center for Land-Based Learning • Volunteers
Yolo Food Bank • Integrated approach • Crop planning, delivery and distribution • Center for Land Based-Learning • Organic, sustainable Farming Knowledge • California Farm Academy – beginning farmers
Crop Plan • worked with YFB and CLBL to develop • Kids Farmers Markets • Beets, carrots, potatoes, butternut squash, pumpkins • Expect to produce 25 – 35,000 lbs of vegetables annually
2013 Partial Year Result • Hired part-time farm manager from CA Farm Academy • Installed irrigation • Crops Planted in June/July • Harvest Completed in mid October • Delivered approximately 9,500 lbs of fresh vegetables
Volunteers are integral to our success • Labor is highest cost input…..by far….. for no pesticide farming. • We have part time farm manager – all other labor is volunteer. • Community involvement creates awareness, breaks down barriers. • So far…. 650 plus volunteer hours from more than 75 volunteers!
Who are our Volunteers? • Community Service Groups – • Rotary Sunrise - Woodland • Davis Odd Fellows • Girl Scouts • Other Non Profits • Yolo Land Trust • Audubon • Center for Land-Based Learning • Businesses • Cardinal Health (Dixon) • Individuals
What’s Next? • Look to expand and improve • Locate volunteer farming expertise • Identify committed volunteers and groups as partners • Small Amount of land can make a big difference • Solve Labor bottlenecks • Grants, donations • Only 15 acres, intensively farmed, all year long could produce 400-500K lbs for 35,000 food insecure
How can you help? • Volunteer! Plant, cultivate and harvest in 2014! • Community Service groups like Rotary • Businesses - • Scouts, 4-H, School groups • Individuals • Share our Story • Visit us on Facebook • Tell a Friend or family member
Learn More: • FoodBankFarmers.org • Facebook.com/foodbankfarms • Davis Enterprise article • Woodland Daily Democrat article • CBS Sacramento Channel 13 clip • Yolo Food Bank website