End of year message from Brien, the executive director of Cultivate KC. Sharing a few thoughts about why she is so proud of their work.
The end of the year is often reserved as a time of reflection – a time to catalogue the ups and downs, to put to bed the challenges we faced, and to dream of the progress we’ll make towards our goals in the coming seasons. Farmers dream of favorable weather patterns, adhering to crop plans carefully mapped out in the colder months, and simply put, abundance.
Imagine my delight when visiting KC’s farm stands, holiday markets, and local wholesale producers this past month where abundance was proudly on display. Our local producers fill our cabinets, fridges, and freezers with vegetables and products from the farm twelve months out of the year. That takes determination and grit that most of us aren’t called upon to access in our daily lives.
Farmers are crushing it, but their job is just as hard as it’s ever been, probably harder. Just in this past season, I’ve conversed with farmers facing threats to their business from drought, confusing and contradictory city regulations, land and water access, health, labor, transportation, access to capital, and in one extreme case, fields that have been overrun by broccoli- and kale-loving ants. And yet they keep going; they keep producing the highest quality, most health-promoting foods available to our community.
I find myself having these conversations with farmers because they know that the team at Cultivate KC is there to help. This year alone, we were able to grant over $40,000 in mini grants, we connected farmers with federal and state dollars as well as bridge loan funding necessary to receive that support, and we provided testimony in support of farmers applying for variances to make improvements to their property and business. Our New Roots program added two graduates this year, bringing our total of farmers who’ve been through the program and still provide food for our community to 33. In the new year, we are within reach of adding a 6,000 square foot greenhouse that can be used by any farmer in our area, and we will be increasing the portfolio of prepared, leasable farmland for those who aren’t ready or able to own their own space.
Support the work of Cultivate KC:
- Volunteer: https://www.cultivatekc.org/get-involved/volunteer/
- Find Local Food: https://www.cultivatekc.org/localfoodresources/
- Donate: https://www.cultivatekc.org/get-involved/donate/
For more information visit https://www.cultivatekc.org/
