Foodshed Small Farm Distro is a food hub that aggregates the freshest, most ethically produced products you can find from farmers whose practices include regenerative, organic, pasture-raised, and climate-smart. A “foodshed” is a geographical and biological terrain that is shaped by land, air, and sea and is cultivated according to the cultures, beliefs and practices of the people who steward the land. Its purpose is to create a viable and equitable local food system.
Our Urban Food Equity team members Elle Mari and Nghi Dang recently visited Foodshed Small Farm Distro’s central operations at Solidarity Farm in Pauma Valley to offer our continued support through the pandemic as farmers continue to adapt to pressing challenges. We awarded Foodshed new energy efficient walk-in cooler equipment made possible by our refrigeration equipment grant from the California Department of Food and Agriculture. This grant aims to support the stocking and sales of California-grown specialty crops in underserved neighborhoods. This equipment builds critical infrastructure for farms by providing cold storage to increase harvest capacity. It also helps bridge a resource gap in aggregation by allowing increased opportunities to partner with both rural and urban farms in the region to collectively distribute more locally grown good food to San Diego County residents. This is fundamental to the Foodshed’s business model. According to Farmer Hernan Cavazos, this new cold storage unit increased harvest capacity for multiple farmers that sell into the hub and increased vital operational efficiencies on CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) delivery days. Farmer Ellee Igoe says she is now planning to expand CSA membership capacity to 200 households, a significant increase from the current enrollment of 65 households.
Help the Foodshed continue to cultivate equity and food justice by signing up for a CSA subscription. There are multiple options for Fresh 5 CSA bags that can be delivered weekly or biweekly, or picked up at select locations around the county. You can also buy your Fresh 5 bag Saturday mornings in City Heights at the following locations/times. CalFresh EBT accepted!
- 9-11am at the City Heights Community Garden at the corner of 43rd/Wightman
- Noon-2pm at the New Roots Community Garden at 54th St & Lea Dr.