FARMER GATHERING

This month, Foodshed hosted our 3rd Annual Farmer Gathering, an event where 15 of our farms joined together to reflect on 2023 and shape our focus in 2024. Hosted on the 120 acre property at J.R. Organics, the Gathering began with a farm tour. Mike, a third generation farmer at J.R., walked us through fields and greenhouses while discussing regenerative pest management, climate control strategies, and even impressed the group by growing early season squash while mitigating the winter frost! The lively discussions set the tone for collaboratively envisioning the year ahead.

During the Gathering, we celebrated milestones; in 2023, we doubled our sales, expanded our market channels, and announced our new coop board and members. Looking at 2024, our aims are to center equity as we continue to grow our sales, expand our crop plan for our farms, and engage more with our community: connecting Foodshed members with the farmers who grow their food.

At the heart of this Gathering was our commitment to better serve our farmers. We sought valuable input on how we can enhance our technical assistance programs, provide relevant trainings, and use our resources to build farm resiliency. We are immensely grateful to the farmers who generously shared their time and insights, continuing to shape Foodshed's farming community and working to build a more equitable and just food system.