Connecting low-income families with local produce in Rice County

 

The Farmer to Family program was developed by Tori Ostenso and Emily Pence, Carleton College Class of 2015, to combat food access issues in Rice County. This program seeks to address 3 major barriers of food access — cost, transportation, and nutrition education — by providing local produce for low-income families at a reduced price and providing cooking and nutrition lessons to teach families simple ways to introduce local produce into their meals. Food is such an amazing tool for bringing communities together and connecting people with their surroundings. By connecting these families to their local food shed, this program will help them to foster a stronger sense of belonging in this community as well.

This program is supported by Seeds Farm, the Carleton College Center for Community and Civic Engagement, the Phillips Scholarship, Healthy Rice County, the Allina Health Neighborhood Health ConnectionTM 2014 Healthy Activity Grant, and the Just-Food Co-op.

 

Program description:

What? A project to overcome the main barriers of food access – cost, transportation, and nutrition education – and bring more fresh, local produce to low-income families in Northfield and Faribault during the summer.

How? Weekly mobile vegetable market that sells produce from local farmers to low-income families at a reduced price and supplemental nutrition classes and cooking demos to demonstrate why and how to supplement your diet with fresh, local vegetables.

When? Harvest season (roughly June – October).

Support the Project! 100% of the money raised will be used to purchase produce from local farmers and distribute it to low-income families in Rice County.