Farm2People

Tons of #citrus and #avocados these days… some of what we do best here in #SoCal! Varieties we have donated this week include Mandarin, Cara Cara, Navel, Blood Orange, Red Grapefruit, Haas Avocado, Kumquat, Tango Mandarin, and Lemon! ??????????#FarmsTogether #LFPA Community Alliance with Family Farmers Fresh Approach Photos via Creative Commons and our partner Limelight Groves ?

Celebrating #WomensHistoryMonth with LA eco-heroine Dr. Mildred E. Mathias and reflecting on the critical role women have always played in protecting our ecosystems ?? B.1906 in MO, Mildred displayed a love of learning from a young age. Driven, she obtained her M.A. and Ph.D. in #botany ?? at ages 21 and 23 respectively, studying Umbelliferae (the ?? family) for her doctoral dissertation – which turned into a subject of lifelong fascination. She, with another scholar, wrote 60+ scientific papers on umbellifers over 40 years?? She contributed so much to the field that a new genus was named after her! (slide 2) In the ‘40s, Dr. Mathias moved to #SoCal, where she worked as a #UCLA botanist. The botany dept soon recognized her talents; she began to teach and then became Assistant Prof. and Vice Chair of the dept at a time when female faculty were few. Dr. Mathias explored the #floraofCalifornia, publishing articles and revolutionizing the local horticulture scene, and in 1956 was appointed director of the UCLA #BotanicalGarden, later (and still) named the #MathiasBotanicalGarden But her accomplishments don’t stop there! Dr. Mathias joined pharmacological expeditions to the Tropics, examining plants for possible medical applications and learning from #Nativeherbalists. She advocated for #ecoconservation, criticizing tropical deforestation and helping establish CA’s UC Natural Reserve System ?? She also served on the board of many horticultural groups and was honored by orgs across the country for her work. After retiring, Dr. Mathias led trips around the world through #UCLAExtension, introducing students to tropical plants and local cultures; overall, she guided 53 expeditions in 30+ countries.??????? ??It’s rumored that Dr. Mathias hosted a very special guest in the Amazon… the singular #OctaviaEButler! If anyone has intel on this please share in the comments! #MildredEMathias contributed extensively to the fields of botany, #horticulture, and #ethnopharmacology; impacted thousands of students; and succeeded as a woman in the male-dominated scientific spaces of the mid-1900s. #womeninSTEM Source: Mildred E. Mathias Archive, Mathias Botanical Garden Website

With the support of #FarmsTogether and #LFPA last month was a high impact month! We were able to directly impact 14 farms with economic support while delivering nearly 150 pounds of produce to our food-insecure friends and neighbors through LA Regional Food Bank and Westside Food Bank?. ? Sadly this program is frozen. In the coming days and weeks we'll share ways you can make your voice heard to help us bring back this critical program in support of growers and food seekers alike! Stay tuned ?? ? #fundfarms #localfarms #familyfarms #Californiagrown #localfoodsystems #regionalfoodsystems #community #socialimpact

Yesterday we closed this year's #BlackHistoryMonth and said goodbye to the ~longest~ shortest month in recent history. ? We're resonating with the lessons of #BHM, reminding ourselves that change and collective power have always come from the people. From community organizing to mutual aid efforts, African American groups have historically built strong resource networks as a means of creating community and providing critical services and pathways our government failed or refused to.? ? ?? This weekend, check out our latest journal entry by Helen Dodd to learn more about historical and current Black community leaders pushing the food sovereignty conversation?? ? #foodsovereignty #foodjustice #farm2peoplela #losangeles #Blackleadership #landtrust #farming #regenerativeagriculture #foodaccess #organic #sustainableagriculture #urbanfarming

Nonprofit work is never a straight line. For the past year and a half we’ve been so fortunate to support over 30 different local and regional farms - many small and BIPOC owned - with critical sales thanks to #FarmsTogether … It’s a #localfood purchasing agreement through the USDA and administrated by #CDSS via?Community Alliance with Family Farmers, Fresh Approach, and California Association of Food Banks (yes, lots of cooks in this kitchen ?? ) This incredibly well intentioned program is one that has been recently threatened by federal #executiveorders … While we remain optimistic for a positive outcome, the freeze further highlights the vulnerability of small and midsized farmers who will be the ones hardest hit if promised funding halts. #supportlocalfarming …

The recent wildfires devastated Altadena’s urban farms and food networks, wiping out vital food sources and community spaces. Gardens, homesteads, and markets were lost overnight, and all deeply impact local food security. Thank you, The Guardian, for highlighting the important work happening to support the rebuild. At Los Angeles Food Policy Council and alongside partners like Farm2People, we are leading efforts to support farmers, advocate for recovery resources, and push for policies that rebuild a stronger, more resilient food system. Food is more than sustenance, it’s community, culture, and security.

F2P ED Anna Hopkins - an Altadena resident - shared some local food system reflections in the wake of the #LAFires with Victoria Namkung in today’s The Guardian US article “LA’s urban farmers pledge to rebuild and replant ‘even more than ever before’ after devastating wildfires.” Read the whole article below! ?? https://lnkd.in/eR8RutZA #altadena #rebuilding #urbanfarms #replant #wildfires #soilremediation #homestead #eatonfire #regenerative #organic #localfood #localfarms Los Angeles Food Policy Council #villageplaygarden #ohappydays Find the other orgs mentioned on IG: @livingbackyardtotable @altadenacommunitygarden @wildseedfarm @mcdonalds_urban_farm @zorthianranch @mollybaz @altadenafm @altadenaseedlibrary @lagoodfood

As a food justice non-profit, the Farm2People team is dedicated to our mission of securing local harvests and fighting hunger in Los Angeles. We believe in #healthysoil, prioritizing small- and mid-sized farms, lifting up disadvantaged growers, and providing nutritious food to food seekers. From purchasing surplus local produce at the farmer-set price, to furnishing underserved communities with culturally-appropriate produce at no cost to them, to promoting climate-smart, regenerative farming: we are a mission-driven, value chain coordinator. ??????? #nonprofit #foodjustice #farm2peoplela #losangeles #regenerativeagriculture #localfood #smallfarms #healthyfood

“I could not see until the storm thinned the tree” ~ Excerpt from “Clearing,” a poem by Camille T. Dungy as found in her memoir “Soil: The Story of a Black Mother’s Garden.” Dungy’s 2023 book details her ‘prairie project’ journey to establish a pollinator garden with plants local to her home of Northern Colorado. By cataloguing her experience through poetry and lyrical narrative, Dungy forges a place for African Americans in the environmental cannon of this country, from which Black Americans have often been excluded. If you need a sense of hope and stories of resilience and mutual flourishing this #BlackHistoryMonth, this book is for you! Trigger warning: Dungy includes her own reflections on the wildfires she has experienced in Colorado. Angelenos should read with awareness and extra care! #soilhealth #resilience #Clearing #CamilleTDungy #poetry #SoilTheStoryofaBlackMothersGarden #blackhistorymonth2025 #BHM #blackenvironmentalists #nativeplants #gardening #prairieproject

Hi friends! Chaotic times call for new community strategies! Join us on Bluesky… ?? Photo: Marlee holding up veggies from our visit with JR Organics Farm ??