Initiatives
Soil Born Farms’ Programs & Special Projects
Harvest Sacramento, our food access program, is working to realize Sacramento’s ability to be an Edible City. Our goal is increase the accessibility of locally-grown food for low income people by growing, harvesting and distributing healthy food through partnerships with food banks, community organizations, schools, markets and institutions. Activities include gleaning fruit from urban trees, planting fruit trees and building gardens in community and home landscapes. More info >>
The Grow Your Groceries program is a beginning farmer and gardener training program designed to provide knowledge and hands-on experience to the aspiring urban grower. Our instructors are experienced masters of organic agriculture and horticulture and experts in farm entrepreneurship. More info >>
Our Farmer Training program is a unique apprenticeship in sustainable agriculture designed to nurture the next generation of organic farmers in the Sacramento area. Each year, 10 to 15 first and second year apprentices learn through a combination of Grow Your Groceries courses—both in a classroom settings and through practical application—and by working through rotations during their 8 month-season. Through a combination of hands-on field work, formal classes, field trips and reading discussion, this intensive experiential education also provides a valuable foundation for those interested in working to address issues of food security, social justice, and public health.
Eat Your Veggies teaches people to eat healthy, local food through mobile cooking demonstrations, food tasting, recipes, nutrition education at community centers and events. We promote farm and farm stand activities and create incentives to buy local produce. The project focuses on reaching out to residents in their own neighborhoods, centers and schools.
Growing Together school garden initiative increases the capacity of schools to establish sustainable gardens by creating curriculum and training tools. Gardens offer dynamic settings to integrate every discipline, including science, math, reading, art, environmental studies, nutrition and health. Soil Born Farms is currently working at five pilot elementary school sites in South Sacramento. Growing Together goes beyond garden installation to bring nutrition education to parents and inspiration to educators. In addition to on-site work, we host a bi–annual A Garden in Every School Symposium, where teachers, parents, garden designers, community leaders, school garden coordinators and others can attend workshops, hear success stories, learn best practices and share lessons. The symposium is our way to build a collaborative, regional commitment to a garden in every school by 2020. More info >>
Our Roots and Wings youth education project focuses on experiential, hands-on learning in the natural world and in the kitchen. Activities include: field trips, classes, workshops, farm tours and summer day camp. Students of all ages engage in experiences at the farm and along the American River Parkway where they learn valuable life skills that encourage healthy living. All of our youth activities incorporate: Gardening and cooking, leadership and communication Training, peer-to-peer mentoring, natural world exploration, environmental stewardship and restoration projects. Participants gain a better understanding of what it takes to bring food from the farm to the table and an awareness of the important connection between our food, our health and the health of the environment. More info >>
Flower Power features flowers and herbs home-grown on the farm.
Eat the Rainbow is an educational program promoting healthy eating habits and adventures in the culinary arts.
