Soil Born Farms Urban Agriculture and Education
Shawn Harrison, Executive Director & Co-founder
Sean Hagan, Farm Manager
Soil Born Farms Urban Agriculture Project started in 2000 as a small urban organic farm located in Sacramento, California. Their story began with two young and inexperienced organic farmers who wanted to reconnect urban dwellers with healthy food and where it comes from. Marco Franciosa and Shawn Harrison put a handwritten note in the mailbox of a local Sacramento resident asking if they could grow on her land in exchange for produce. The next day a deal was struck, and Soil Born Farms was born. In 2002, Janet Zeller joined the team and the three cofounded Soil Born Farms Urban Agriculture & Education Project.
After three years of growing and selling produce as a for-profit farm, Soil Born Farms received non-profit status in November 2004, and began expanding its community role to combine healthy food production with education and food access projects. Based out of two urban farms and local school sites, their programs focus on promoting health and experiential learning opportunities for youth, producing healthy food, improving access to healthy food for all residents and modeling land and environmental stewardship. Beyond producing healthy, certified organic produce for their 80-share Community Supported Agriculture and local stores, restaurants, and farmers markets; Soil Born has also developed and piloted several innovative education and food access programs in partnership with area agencies.
The mission of Soil Born Farms Urban Agriculture and Education project is to create an urban agriculture and education project that empowers youth and adults to discover and participate in a local food system that encourages healthy living, nurtures the environment, and grows a sustainable community.
