Sunday, September 14, 2014
Noon – 6:00 PM
FREE Admission
This year’s farm crawl takes on an “urban” flavor with stops at three producers in Fairfield, Iowa. The event is open to the public with no admission fee. It is an open house format so stop in the order that is most convenient for you.
Download the brochure (.pdf)
This year’s stops:
Sustainable Research Institute (SRI) Demonstration Farm
Address: 801 18th Street, Fairfield
Contact: Faith Reeves, 678.233.7702,faithr@theskyfactory.com
This little farm has grand ambitions of growing the most nutrient dense food possible. Primary focus is placed on diversifying biological systems through composting, companion planting, and regenerating depleted soils. Faith Reeves is the current designer, developer, and manager of the SRI Demonstration Farm at Sky Factory. Faith notes that “The farm places an emphasis on sustainability, local food systems and food security.”
Community Orchard
Address: East Chautauqua Park, west of Parkview Care Center (2237 Highway 34), Fairfield
Contact: Scott Timm, 515.291.2560,stimm@iastate.edu
Scott Timm is the Sustainability Coordinator for the City of Fairfield. He works in partnership with ISU Extension and Outreach. Timm planted the Community Orchard with 500 volunteers on Earth Day in 2012. The Orchard serves as a shared learning center and food source for the Fairfield community. Come and see the future of our city! You can also tour the drip irrigation system in this unique orchard, and Scott might just let you help him with weeding if you ask.
Farm to School Greenhouse
Address: 1000 W. Stone Street, Fairfield
Contact: Jan Swinton, 641.472.6177, jan@pathfindersrcd.org
The Farm to School Greenhouse Project is part of a USDA sponsored initiative aimed at bringing fresher, locally grown foods to school lunch menus all year. The greenhouse offers an educa-tional experience where students learn about sustainable horticulture & grow their food. The greenhouse, located in the backyard of the Schaus Vorhies Kleaning business, recycles heat from the company to grow food for the community. Jan Swinton has been the leader of this one-of –a-kind project. She is the local food coordinator at the Path-finders RC&D office in Fairfield. Stop by and see where we are actu-ally growing food for the public school lunch menus AND help plant the straw-berry beds.
Maharishi University of Management has recently started a new program to purchase produce locally. The purchasing criteria, called Fairfood, was developed by Sustainable Living faculty member Dr. Appachanda Thimmaiah, who wrote the organic standards for the country of Bhutan. The new standard prescribes no genetically modified foods, no synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, using hot composting for soil fertility, and other sustainable growing practices. This new standard allows local farmers who are not certified organic to sell their produce directly to MUM.
