Community Gardening with Chickens & Littles

Project Overview

FNC22-1350
Project Type: Farmer/Rancher
Funds awarded in 2022: $16,186.00
Grant Recipient: Loveland Acres Farm
Region: North Central
State: Wisconsin
Project Coordinator:
Scarlett Salamone
Loveland Acres Farm

Commodities

  • Fruits: apples
  • Vegetables: beans, broccoli, eggplant, greens (leafy), peppers, tomatoes
  • Additional Plants: herbs, native plants
  • Animals: bees, poultry
  • Animal Products: eggs

Practices

  • Animal Production: rangeland/pasture management
  • Crop Production: beekeeping, pollinator habitat, pollinator health, seed saving
  • Education and Training: demonstration, display, farmer to farmer, mentoring, study circle, workshop, youth education
  • Farm Business Management: agritourism, apprentice/intern training, community-supported agriculture, farmers' markets/farm stands, value added
  • Natural Resources/Environment: biodiversity
  • Pest Management: weeder geese/poultry
  • Production Systems: integrated crop and livestock systems
  • Soil Management: composting, organic matter
  • Sustainable Communities: community development, community planning, community services, ethnic differences/cultural and demographic change, leadership development, local and regional food systems, partnerships, public participation, quality of life, social capital, social networks, urban agriculture, urban/rural integration

    Proposal summary:

    Marginalized groups historically and continue to be underrepresented in agriculture. According to the 2017 Census, .06% of Wisconsin’s farmers are Black. That’s approximately 73 out of the over 110,000. Nationwide the percentage goes up to a mere 1.3% and is equally as dismal for other groups accounted for. Missing from the data are the all too often overlooked differently abled farmers.

    Representation matters. 

    Sustainable agriculture has been built off of the backs, ideas, and practices of the aforementioned. Yet the opportunities and accessibility for these groups of people today, particularly at blossoming young ages, are extremely limited.

    Community Gardening with Chickens & Littles will work at bridging the gap to agricultural access for marginalized littles and youth by providing exposure and hands on learning opportunities focused on: growing culturally relevant crops, while using chickens hatched by families to improve and maintain soil health, and learning the importance of pollinators for it all to come together, as we are as farmers of the rainbow.  

    This work will lead to affordable, accessible Nourishing Radical Love mutual aid shares containing: pastured eggs, organic vegetables, and in the long term, honey. 

    Project objectives from proposal:

    1. Provide a safe, accessible garden space for children of all abilities and backgrounds
    2. Provide hands on learning activities based in garden space
    3. Teach the importance of pollinators
    4. Utilize chickens & chicken tractors for weed/pest management
    5. Guide discovery of diversified systems and how they help the whole thrive
    6. Provide mutual aid shares containing: organic veggies, pastured eggs, and honey
    7. Begin to instill the value Ag is for ALL
    Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or SARE.