Unable to secure traditional grants in 2020, Radical Family Farms is seeking the support of our collective community.
Radical Family Farms was founded in 2019 by Sarah Deragon and Leslie Wiser, and is led by Wiser, a Queer, 1st-Generation Taiwanese/Chinese/German/Polish American. Located in Sebastopol, CA on Coast Miwok and Southern Pomo land, we work to heal the land and heal ourselves by using non-mechanized and non-extractive farming methods (aka climate smart, carbon farming, regenerative, no-till, chemical-free methods). Farming in this way is an intensely laborious process that requires the support of a large farm crew. Our farm feeds the Bay Area's Asian American communities through our mission to grow nutrient-dense Asian heritage produce and herbs as a means to explore and strengthen our cultural identities. Our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program delivers weekly Asian-centered produce boxes and flower bouquets to San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, and Sonoma County. As farmers, we create transparency and shorten the supply chain by delivering directly to our drop points and to those who are home-bound. This allows our community to receive farm flowers and nutrient-dense, local, & culturally relevant produce needed to stay healthy during the pandemic.
It's that time of year when farmers and the land take time to rest and rejuvenate. Winter is the time to plan for the upcoming season. This is also the time farmers apply for grants that help fund needed investments for the land they tend. As we know, COVID-19 has created uncertain economic times for everyone, including one of the funders we planned to apply for, thus they do not have enough resources to support a 2021 grant cycle. The other funder has a $5,000 grant with an age limit of under-40. We are 43! This is a huge loss for our farm. While we applied for the USDA's CFAP2, the amount of funding is based on 2019, our 1st year farm income, and that wasn't a lot. Since these two $5,000 grants are unavailable to us, we are asking our collective community to help level the playing field by helping us raise at least $10,000.
While we value the work of these organizations and applaud their intention to be inclusive of QTBIPOC farmers, we see a gross misunderstanding of the actual experiences and barriers facing many farmers like me by placing an age limit on grants. As a child of immigrants who is a queer, gnc, mixed-Asian farmer closing out our 2nd season, it took me over 20 years to dream, think, believe, plan, prepare and finally actualize farming as a now 43-year old! As someone with intersectional identities, it's important to note that not everyone finds their dreams and goals so accessible, nor arrives at them as easily or quickly as the majority. We grapple with the historical effects of systemic racism (Local Anti-Chinese leagues, Federal Chinese Exclusion Act, State Alien Land Laws) that blocked BIPOC from farming the land they helped develop. And after navigating years of present systemic oppression (anti-LGBTQI legislation), racism, and lack of family acceptance or support, we arrive late to the game.
Help us continue to invest in our farm and crew so we can collectively heal the land using regenerative, non-mechanized, indigenous practices. Your donation is an investment in the future of our farm and the development of our crew.
We're raising funds via The Steward Foundation to further crew education and to purchase field equipment that will help us to heal the land we tend and to better meet the needs of our collective community. This includes the following:
The Steward Foundation Inc. is an IRC 501(c)(3) charitable organization created to manage contributions and fund grants to projects surrounding sustainable and regenerative agriculture. By making a donation to The Steward Foundation, you will be contributing directly to the project noted above. 100% of your charitable donation will be distributed to the project. Your donation will be tax-deductible to the extent that no goods or services were provided to you in exchange. The Steward Foundation’s tax identification number is 37-1912757.
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