Apr 20, 2018

FruitGuys fund gives sustainability grants to 13 small farms

The FruitGuys Community Fund is awarding a total $47,534 of small grants to 13 farms with of environmental sustainability projects.

After receiving a record 130 applications, the Fund’s volunteer review committee chose 20 finalists whose projects and values best aligned with its guidelines for sustainable farming practices. Thirteen of those finalists were awarded grants of up to $5,000 for projects such as solar power systems, beehives, beneficial insect habitats, growing season extensions, and unique composting systems.

“We are excited to be able to fund more farms each year,” says Chris Mittelstaedt, The FruitGuys Community Fund Project Director. “We started this fund in 2012 because we believe that small, independent American farms are a core element of a healthy food system, a diverse economy, robust communities, and a strong democracy.”

The class of 2018 grantees are:

Namu Farm/Choi and Daughters Produce, Winters, California. Their $3,794 grant will allow them to preserve and improve heritage varieties of Asian vegetable crops by funding a new hoop house, nursery benches, screens of multiple sizes, shade cloth, and tools for the hand-processing of seeds.

The Ohio City Farm by The Refugee Response, Cleveland, Ohio. This six-acre agricultural nonprofit serves newly arrived refugees. Their $2,780 grant will allow them to purchase two new walking tractor attachments.

Moon Dog Farms, Sante Fe, Texas. Their $5,000 grant will fund three caterpillar tunnel kits, shade cloths, and a silage tarp to extend the growing season, protect crops, and improve soil health. They will also host workshops on how this system can create protected microclimates for growing in the Texas Gulf Coast region.

Radical Roots Farm, Canterbury, Connecticut. Their $4,500 grant will allow them to develop a composting system using black soldier flies, which consume organic waste and can then be made into supplemental feed high in protein and fat for their livestock.

Root Mass Farm, Oley, Pennsylvania. Their $3,986 grant will allow them to build a high tunnel and plant 21 fig trees.

Fly Girl Farm, Pescadero, California. This four-acre farm gives aspiring female farmers the opportunity to experience running a small farm. Their $4,856 grant will fund a solar system to power their farm.

Hope Mountain Farm, Leavenworth, Washington. Their $5,000 grant will allow them to transition to no-till farming methods, thereby improving soil health and minimizing water runoff.

Cattail Organics, Athens, Wisconsin. They’ll use their $5,000 grant to create a beneficial insect habitat by implementing a unique approach to reducing soil disturbance.

The Roof Crop LLC, Chicago, llinois. This urban farm grows produce atop 30,000 square feet of city rooftops. They’ll use their $1,950 grant to add three beehives to their flagship farm and to amplify their sustainability and educational practices.

Doce Lume Farm, Frederick, Maryland. They’ll use their $1,705 grant to build a low tunnel to extend their growing season, as well as establish a compost system to share with their Beginning Farmer Training Program network.

Canadian Valley Farms, Lexington, Oklahoma. Their $5,000 grant will be used to add disease-resistant apple varieties and blackberries to their farm, and to demonstrate that sustainable apple and blackberry production is a viable enterprise in their climate region.

47 Daisies, Vassalboro, Maine. Their $2,500 grant will be used to plant an orchard of peach, pear, and plum trees, as well as native wildflowers to support pollinators, and to install bat and bluebird boxes for natural pest control.

Christensen’s Farm, Browntown, Wisconsin. They’ll use their $1,463 grant to increase their number of beehives to eight, one of which will be an observation hive for local 4-H, school, and community groups.

Get to know some of the farms by watching their videos here.