2018 was an incredible year for The FruitGuys Community Fund. With the help of our dedicated volunteers and those who made financial contributions, we were able to provide grants for 13 small farms and agricultural nonprofits totaling $47,534. The 2018 grantees have now completed their sustainability projects. Eight of these farms were able to provide us with video updates.
Get a better look at what type of projects The FruitGuys Community Fund supports with these videos, straight from the farmer.
Canadian Valley Farms is an 80-acre family farm in Lexington, OK that produces heirloom, chemical-free vegetables, as well as honey, and meat from heritage breed livestock. They used their $5,000 grant to plant an orchard of 250 disease-resistant, rare southern heirloom apple trees.
A small 5-acre farm in Athens, WI, Cattail Organics produces a variety of vegetables, cut flowers, herbs, and maple syrup that’s distributed directly to CSA members, restaurants, small groceries, and schools, with weekly donations to local food banks and shelters. They received a $5,000 grant to purchase equipment and seeds.
Hope Mountain Farm is a 4-acre farm in Leavenworth, WA, that grows certified organic berries and vegetables, in addition to keeping bees. They received a $5,000 grant to purchase silage tarps, ground cover, and a flail mower to mulch crops after harvest and create healthy soil.
Moon Dog Farms, a 17-acre family farm in Santa Fe, TX, received a $5,000 grant to purchase three caterpillar tunnel kits, shade cloths, and a silage tarp. These tools helped them better cope with the region’s weather and make some big improvements.
A 2-acre farm in Winters, CA, that focuses on East Asian vegetable and herb varieties, Namu Farm partners with Namu Gaji restaurant in San Francisco, distributes small veggie boxes to the local Korean community in the East Bay, and produces commercial seed for Kitazawa Seed Company. They received a $3,794.29 grant to purchase infrastructure for a hoop house, nursery benches, multiple-size screens, shade cloth, and tools for hand-processing seeds.
The Refugee Empowerment Agricultural Program (REAP), an initiative of Refugee Response, operates at the Ohio City Farm, which helps refugees in northeastern Ohio by providing them with employment, education, and training. They received a $2,780 grant to purchase two new walk-behind tractor attachments, a power harrower, and bed shaper.
The Roof Crop is an urban farm in Chicago, IL, that produces edible flowers, vegetables, herbs, and apples. Their growing area now encompasses 30,000 square feet of rooftops. They received a $1,950 grant to purchase three beehives to add to their flagship farm.
Root Mass Farm is a 5-acre farm in Oley, PA, that uses organic methods to produce vegetables, melons, perennial herbs, and berries. They received a $3,986 grant to build a 21×48-foot hoop house and plant fig trees.
Each year The FruitGuys Community strives to help small farms make big impacts in environmental, social, and economic sustainability. If you’d like to make a difference in 2019, please consider supporting a project.
