Support Local Farmers
Support Local Farms – Learn about local food as climate action
If you’re a follower of 21 Acres you know that we’re all about educating — helping people build knowledge about how to get involved in the local food economy and how to support farmers using sustainable and regenerative practices. Farmers who use regenerative practices are sequestering carbon in the soil, using chemical-free growing practices and minimizing the use of heavy equipment thereby limiting emissions and greenhouse gases. The addition of being local means that food doesn’t have to be trucked long distances to reach consumers. Taking into account all of these reasons, farmers provide important solutions to addressing climate change.
In these unprecedented times, you can certainly make a difference as farmers have been hit hard. The closure of restaurants and food service programs who buy from local farmers provided essential and predictable revenue for many small growers and meat producers, even dairies and creameries. The closure of many farmers markets for a period of time (some closures continue) cut off access for farmers and customers to reach each other. Mass layoffs for loyal customers has meant fewer people buying local food. Farmworkers, long under-resourced and without proper safety nets, are now considered essential workers and struggle without affordable health care.
The good news is that you can help! Many people are seeking out local farm products for the first time and wanting fresh food with a more direct supply chain between farm and market. Buying products from nearby farms, growing your own food, cooking with locally sourced ingredients, and volunteering in the food system will all contribute to proactively addressing climate change.
We’re here to help. If you need educational resources, ideas or suggestions, please reach out.
If you feel compelled to help, please consider buying from local farms.
Join a CSA — Community Supported Agriculture programs provide critical cash resources to farmers upfront.
Find your new favorite local farm here.
Shop at a Farmers Market – They’ve taken careful precautions in order to reopen.
Find your local farmers market here.
Check out the 21 Acres Farm Market – We exclusively source local products from nearby farms.
Stop by a Farm Stand – These funds go directly to a farmer, without any middle people.
Find your new favorite local farm here.
Place a special order with a farmer – Farmers will package bulk products for you.
Find your new favorite local farm here.
Ask for locally produced food at your favorite grocery store – Let your grocery store know that buying local matters!
Other ways to help
Donate directly to a farmer or through these channels:
Hmong Association of Washington
Buy extra food for friends, neighbors, health care workers, and first responders.
Prepay for next year’s CSA.
Don’t forget about the bees! Many farmers who grow flowers have lost their markets too. Flower growers provide critical pollinator forage that helps bees, butterflies and other pollinators support food growing – flowers aren’t just beautiful, they’re essential to food production.
Read more about local farming and how to get involved in your food system
Washington State Farmers Market Association
Neighborhood Farmers Market Association
21 Acres Center for Local Food & Sustainable Living
Resources for farmers and farm workers
Are you a farmer? Organizations here in Washington State and across the country are working hard to provide relief directly to farmers. If you know of farmers who need help, please share these resources:
Washington State Coronavirus Response
Washington State Department of Agriculture
Washington Young Farmers Coalition
Rural Advancement Foundation International
Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems Funders
To learn more about farmworkers and how to support them specifically, we very much value the work being done by Community to Community here in Washington.
Become immersed in the issues
Last but not least, if you’re enthusiastic about learning more about the local food economy, take a look at this resource list with live links that our staff put together to help you read and research all of issues related to regenerative agriculture, agroecology and climate change.
If you have a resource to share with our community, please email generalinfo@21acres.org.
Thank you for supporting the work that local farmers do as the frontlines workers for a secure and healthy food system.
