AFSC New Mexico farmer-to-farmer learning circle AFSC
Building on the model of AFSC New Mexico's Farm to Food Bank program, local farmers Joseluis Ortiz of Dream NM Farm and Casey Holland of Chispas Farm recently shared -- through a virtual AFSC farmer-to-farmer learning circle -- their projects for feeding their communities. This gathering was held at the request of farmers who participated in AFSC’s Farm to Food Bank program and want to strategize together how to continue providing their produce to those in the community who need it most.
We listened to two farmers who participated in our Farm to Food Bank Program. Joseluis has been able to keep distributing food he grows to a birth center that he connected with through AFSC, as well as a student food bank on the local college campus. “There are real hunger issues at the college, so we utilize institutional infrastructure for the community good,” Joseluis said about the college farm site.
Casey shared how she is planning a “Free Food Cooler” on her farm so her neighborhood can help themselves to the bounty of the farm. The idea is an adaptation of a Free Food Fridge initiative that Albuquerque Mutual Aid has begun.
This was the first of ongoing conversations between farmers and community groups to figure out how to link those who are growing food with those who need it the most. Years of medical research show that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables both restores health and protects people from chronic diseases. This is especially relevant as the Covid-19 pandemic has more negatively affected those with underlying health conditions.