‘Agriculture is the culture’: FarmerJawn wants to reinvent agriculture education
“What we’re trying to accomplish is to keep our young folks engaged and out of trouble.”
By Kenny Cooper
Whyy
April 15, 2022
Excerpt:
The five acres of the historic property in Elkins Park, just minutes outside of Philadelphia, have recently become the “biggest part” of Barfield’s operation. She moved her operation onto the property in October 2021, where they will be using the greenhouses and land to farm a wide variety of crops like lettuce and radishes.
“Farming should not be this obscure idea and feel like it’s a journey that you have to go to. You eat every single day. So there’s a farmer that’s responsible for that food that you’re partaking of. And I really want our community to be more mindful of what we’re putting into our bodies for the health of not just ourselves, but the people that come after us,” Barfield said, standing next to a recently tilled plot of land.
While FarmerJawn makes its money from its community-supported agriculture (CSA) farm set up and other business ventures, it has recently jumped into the fray as a nonprofit that seeks to educate people about how to farm and where their food comes from.
The FarmerJawn & Friends Foundation Fund is looking to serve as an educational platform with a focus on school programming and workforce development.
