There is great potential for urban farms to provide environmental gains, fresh nutrient-rich food for urban dwellers, and right livelihood for beginning farmers. Urban farming in the U.S. has been a mostly nonprofit effort, growing for underserved communities. While these projects are essential, urban farming must become financially viable, or else it will remain a tiny portion of the economy. Our cities’ environmental, labor and social challenges call for urban farming to become a player in our agricultural economy. This panel will provide best practices from successful for-profit urban farms that serve farmers’ markets, CSAs and restaurants.
Track and Session Info
Session:
B | 10:30 am
Date and Location
Date:
Sat, Oct 24, 2015
Location:
Heather
Day:
Thursday
Presenter(s):
Caroline Devany
Title:
Caroline Devany
Presenter Affiliation:
Stone's Throw Urban Farm
Caitlyn Galloway
Title:
Caitlyn Galloway
Presenter Affiliation:
Little City Gardens
Kristyn Leach
Title:
Kristyn Leach
Presenter Affiliation:
Namu Farm
Bio:
Kristyn Leach runs the organic Namu Farm in partnership with the restaurant Namu Gaji in San Francisco, owned by three brothers with a Korean background. Since 2012, Leach has grown vegetables and herbs, particularly heirloom Korean produce, for the neighborhood bistro. An avid seed saver, Leach practices traditional peasant farming methods popular in her birth place. She began Namu Farm at the Sunol AgPark, home to small-scale farmers growing crops on the urban fringe. In 2018, Leach moved her operation to Winters. Her Second Generation seed line is a collaboration with Kitazawa Seed Company, a 103 year old business based in Oakland. She is a member of the Asian American Farmers Alliance and active in community efforts to empower farmers of color.
Willow Rosenthal
Title:
Willow Rosenthal
Presenter Affiliation:
Urban Adamah
