5 Loaves Farm, a 1-acre agricultural nonprofit in Buffalo, NY, provides sustainably-grown fruit, vegetables, honey, and maple syrup to residents and opportunities for local youth, immigrants, and refugees to work and grow food. They received a $4,998 grant to increase their sustainability by improving soil health, replacing sprinklers with drip irrigation, extending their growing season with a new hoop house, installing pollinator plantings, and subsidizing several CSA shares for at-risk youth interns and their families.
5 Loaves has been busy! They installed pollinator plantings, berry trellising, silage tarps, and drip irrigation to their existing hoop houses. Farm Director Matt Kauffman told us they’ve “already reduced water that was being used through overhead irrigation.” They have also procured and used compost from a local producer and were able to take on a larger staff and more youth interns! These changes will help them improve soil health, support pollinators, increase yields, and provide their community with culturally appropriate produce.
