 https://www.jeffcobeacon.com/all-news/cultivating-food-security-with-goosefoot-farm
Alexa MacAulay and Alexa Helbling co-manage Goosefoot Farm with a passion for increasing food security. “If you care about good food, you have to care about everything it's connected to, including the many systems of oppression.” Said MacAulay. Deeply supported by Jefferson County and its people, Goosefoot Farms is able to follow its mission. Born in 2019 with the help of a small equipment stipend from the Tri-Area Food Bank, Goosefoot expanded the next year with help from Finnriver to navigate the challenges 2020 brought for food systems. These relationships were a boost of energy when people were unsure of the future of food. Goosefoot now operates on 1.5 acres, split between a paid lease at Finnriver Cidery, and at the Chimicum Commons, off of Highway 19. “What makes the county so special is that people care about farmers and good food and there’s fertile soil.” MacAulay said. Jefferson County has a 13.3% food insecurity rate– a population of 4,110 experiencing food insecurity. Goosefoot provides food support with fresh, nutrient-dense produce as a form of mutual aid to keep our community healthy and as a type of reparation. The histamines produced in fruits and veggies while waiting to be eaten can be particularly irritating to immunocompromised people. So Helbling, MacAulay, and all their volunteers deliver with expedited excellence. Growing 100% certified organic not-for-profit food, Goosefoot distributes 100% of what they grow with zero cost to the recipient through partnerships with the Jefferson County Anti Racist Fund (JCARF), Jefferson Health Care, the Recovery Cafe, and the Jefferson County Food Bank Association. Unlike classic Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), of which there are many in Jefferson County, Goosefoot has a different approach: sponsored shares. “Buy a CSA for someone else! It eases the stress of the consistency and quality of where their food is coming from.” MacAulay said. The biggest barrier to fresh food is the cost, at $600 for 20 weeks of organic produce, your support could help someone in recovery or crisis. Any generous offer will contribute to the wellness of the community. Jefferson HealthCare offers CSA “prescriptions” to oncology patients, diabetics, and people who are in hospice through its Healthy Farm share program.Goosefoot grows the food prescription and offers pickups at the hospital and Finnriver. While JCARF helps BIPOC and indigenous people within East Jefferson with transportation, education, access to land, bills and expenses, and family support they also curate packages for wellness treatments, therapy and access to traditional foods, and Goosefoot grows their produce for these care boxes. Though the Finnriver gardens are on break, only bearing perennials and cover right now, Goosefoot is always growing and always needing volunteers during the growing season (May/June to November). Every Monday morning, you can join the harvest for CSAs, the Food Bank, and the Recovery Cafe. “There is a range of people who come out to help. From experienced and looking to recreate, to new and needing education.” MacAulay said. Whether your green thumb is seasoned or sprouting, there is space for you to join the growing efforts at Goosefoot. If you’d like to learn more about Goosefoot Farm, visit the link here: https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause_pdetails/MTY4NjE5 If you’d like to learn more about JCARF, visit their site here: https://www.jcarf.org/ If you’d like to learn more about Olympic Housing Trust and Chimacum Commons, visit, https://saveland.org/an-exciting-vision-for-chimacum-commons/ Comments are closed.
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