Happy New Year! 🎊
We are officially done with 2023! Thank you for an amazing year on the farm.
What an honor to serve our community and meet so many amazing humans. Our work would not be possible without the support of the community around us. We get to experience human connection on another level that motivates us to strive to do more. Your words of encouragement, trust in our programs, and help on the farm is what keeps us going and smiling. Thank you🌱
You have been amazing in 2023 and we can’t wait to kick butt in 2024 💪🏽! Let’s spark change together- one tomato at a time 🍅
Happy New Years 🍾
It is the final day of our 10 reasons to support MCF and we have big news!😱
With the support and generosity of all of you, we were able to reach our fundraising goal! 💗 Let’s keep the momentum going!
Have you met our coalition?
The founding coalition partners of the Montclair Community Farms include the Montclair Department of Health and Human Services, Montclair State University, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Essex County, Montclair History Center, Rutgers 4-H of Essex/Hudson County (Essex 4-H and Master Gardeners), HOMECorp-Homes of Montclair Ecumenical Corporation, and Essex County Schools of Technology.
Our coalition provides partnerships and opportunities to aid us in the continuation of the work we do here at Montclair Community Farms.
Here is what two of our Coalition members had to say about MCF:
“Montclair Community Farms Coalition formed with the mission to address food access issues within our community. The commitment and dedication of the organization to fostering education 📖🌿 and sustainable solutions have had a profound and positive impact on the lives of many…”
“...The MCFC understands the multifaceted nature of food insecurity and are actively working to tackle the root causes through changing these systems…”
-Marissa Staffen, 4-H Agent III, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Essex County🍀
“As our community faces the ever growing challenges of our environments and food systems, understanding our agricultural past can guide us towards making informed decisions that are sustainable for our present and future…”
“...Prior to industrialization, Montclair was a thriving farming community. 🌾Having a working, modern community farm onsite provides the Montclair History Center the opportunity to speak to our agricultural past that sustained these communities for generations…”
“...By tapping into the knowledge embedded in our agricultural history, we can discover sustainable approaches which are core
It is day 9 of our 10 reasons to support MCF! We are so incredibly close to reaching our goal!🎉
Are you part of our community composting program?
This year, we gave our compost a much-needed facelift! If every one of our composting community members donate, we’ll be able to reinforce our composting system even more!
Our compost also has had tremendous positive environmental impacts!
This year through the community's contributions we helped to divert 6 tons of waste from entering the landfill! 😱
Food waste is the largest category of material in municipal landfills, they emit methane- a potent greenhouse gas.
By utilizing our Community Compost, food scraps are able to take on a new life fertilizing our crops. 🌾
This composting program has been a FREE service that the farm has offered to the community for years!
With such a rapid growth in participants, our small staff is working hard to keep up with maintenance. Your donation goes towards managing our compost systems and to hopefully expand our service 💵
Thank you again to everyone who took the time to sort and drop off their food scraps! 💚
Please consider a tax-deductible donation to Montclair Community Farms. All contributions will be matched by the Partners for Health Foundation; double your impact by donating today!
🌱Click below to donate🌱
https://www.montclaircommunityfarms.org/donate?mc_cid=238fa8e23a&mc_eid=815806ba19
#local #urbanfarm #urbanfarming #community #donation #endofyeardonation #montclaircommunityfarms #mcf #montclair #montclairnj #newjersey #mcfcmobilefarmstand #mcfmobilefarmstand #SpreadKindness #MakeADifference
We are half way through our 10 reasons to support Montclair Community Farms. Here is reason number 🖐️
Meet Bridget👩🏻🌾, our Farm Stand Manager!
Every week, Bridget takes our Farm Stand out to deliver fresh produce to communities in need across Essex County!
Here’s what she had to say about Montclair Community Farms.
“My first season I was eager to be involved in the farm stand, going to our weekend markets in my hometown in Belleville, knowing that many families there do not have access to local and organic produce. 🍅🥕
Since I began taking the farm stand this year to our markets, I have been able to see how our interns take initiative to greet our seniors and assist them in selecting the hardy leafy greens 🥬 they grew and harvested.
I have been part of the team for a year now and it has been quite an adventure seeing the whole process…
A lot of hard work goes into preparing for each step and it feels rewarding when our seniors are excited for our seasonal produce, sharing their home remedies with our products from the garden.”
In order to keep up the work we are doing, we need your 🫵 help!
Please consider a tax-deductible donation to Montclair Community Farms. All contributions will be matched by the Partners for Health Foundation; double your impact by donating today!
🌱Click below to donate🌱
https://www.montclaircommunityfarms.org/donate?mc_cid=238fa8e23a&mc_eid=815806ba19
#local #urbanfarm #urbanfarming #community #donation #endofyeardonation #montclaircommunityfarms #mcf #montclair #montclairnj #newjersey #mcfcmobilefarmstand #mcfmobilefarmstand #SpreadKindness #MakeADifference
Today is day 3 of our 10 day count down!
Meet our Farm Manager Satoni! 👩🏻🌾
🍅Satoni grows all the food and manages our two production sites! Through her passion for farming she has helped many of our interns develop a deep appreciation for all that our farm can bring to the community.
🌿Here’s what she had to say about Montclair Community Farms:
“This year, I’ve felt success during moments when someone visits the farm and our interns proudly let them know that they were the ones that planted that seed and nurtured that plant” 🌱
“The moment these young highschoolers hit that feeling of fulfillment in their hard work all while creating beautiful relationships and happy memories.”
“…it goes beyond growing crops on the farm, it feels like I’ve succeeded in choosing this job, this lifestyle, this passion and it is only because of the people that I come across on the farm.”💓
“When you have people working together to care for the earth and enrich those around you, it deepens and connects us to all that it is. It shows how much a part of this world we all are and the importance of our footprint.”
Please consider a tax-deductible donation to Montclair Community Farms. All contributions will be matched by the Partners for Health Foundation; double your impact by donating today!
🌱Click below to donate🌱
https://www.montclaircommunityfarms.org/donate?mc_cid=238fa8e23a&mc_eid=815806ba19
#local #urbanfarm #urbanfarming #community #donation #endofyeardonation #montclaircommunityfarms #mcf #montclair #montclairnj #newjersey #mcfcmobilefarmstand #mcfmobilefarmstand #SpreadKindness #MakeADifference
DAY 2 ✌🏽of our 10 day countdown! ⏳
Montclair Community Farms is a local agriculture organization. We help provide the community with fresh, healthy, and sustainable produce
As the only farm located in Montclair, our farmers dedicate themselves to bringing fresh and organic produce to the local communities through our mobile farmstand 🛻, which we take to senior housing centers in Montclair and Bellville, as well as pop-up markets in Newark and Montclair.
We try our best to invest in our community and stay as local as we possibly can. From our seeds purchased in Maine, our potting soil from New York, pots from Pennsylvania, seedlings grown in Montclair, and compost from New Jersey. It all stays within the East Coast!
It is not only because of our staff, but because of our patrons, contributors, volunteers and community partners that we are able to access local materials.
Whether it be donated organic compost and succession seedlings 🌱 or funding that allows us to pay a buck more for materials to support another local organization.
We are fortunate to invest back into the community that has invested so much into us!
If you’d like to help us expand our impact on food security, please consider a tax-deductible donation to Montclair Community Farms! All contributions will be matched by the Partners for Health Foundation; double your impact by donating today!💚💸
Link to donate:
https://www.montclaircommunityfarms.org/donate?mc_cid=238fa8e23a&mc_eid=815806ba19
#local #urbanfarm #urbanfarming #community #donation #endofyeardonation #montclaircommunityfarms #mcf #montclair #montclairnj #newjersey #mcfcmobilefarmstand #mcfmobilefarmstand #SpreadKindness #MakeADifference
👩🏻🌾Meet Lana, our Farm Director! She is the driving force behind many of our endeavors at the farm. From guiding Farmpreneurs to maintaining positive connections within the community she seemingly does it all! ✨
🌱While she primarily takes on administrative responsibilities, she continually makes an effort to spend time with the staff and encourages personal growth through our work and relationships at the farm. 🌱
Here’s what Lana had to say:
“I have always felt a strong desire to build community, and serve others and this drive is what led me to MCF. Working at the farm has allowed me to pursue my passion for sustainable agriculture and empower the next generation of land stewards. A job I pour my heart into every day.”❤️
“Montclair Community Farms has been my container for growth for many years. I started as a part-time farm manager, and today I am the Director. I knew from the moment I stepped foot into these gardens I found home.” 🪴
“Each day, I have the privilege of working with people of all ages, supporting them on their unique journeys and helping them find home too.”
“What makes MCF special is the passion our team brings to the work. We strive to be a safe place for all, building strong connections among ourselves, and cultivating tomorrow's empathetic leaders. Most importantly empowering each other to be the change we wish to see in the world.”
“Thank you for being a vital part of our community, and contributing to the growth and success of our farm. Your support fuels our passion, and we feel fortunate to bring knowledge, delicious food, and joy into your lives.”
In order to keep up the work we are doing, we need your help!
Please consider a tax-deductible donation to Montclair Community Farms. All contributions will be matched by the Partners for Health Foundation; double your impact by donating today!
🌱Click below to donate🌱
https://www.montclaircommunityfarms.org/donate?mc_cid=238fa8e23
Say hello to one of our coalition members 👋, Angelica Diggs!
Angelica is the director at Montclair History Center! If you’ve ever visited the farm for programs, community compost, or chickens then you have the History Center to thank! 🙏🏼
The History Center has supported Montclair Community farms for over 10 years! Providing us the space that we occupy to grow food 🥬 and to run all our amazing educational programs 🤸🏾
It’s organizations like MHC that really shows us what it means to build community 🤝 . They were able to see the potential and vision for a local urban farm and were quick to offer any form of support in order to see that vision come to fruition 🌱
Over the years, our staff have grown to love everyone at the history center as our extended farm family- celebrating holidays, birthdays, and milestones together 🫶🏼 We have been so fortunate to build the farm on this perfect piece of paradise and hope to continue and expand further! 😊
Thank you MHC! Be sure to check out @montclairhistorycenter and all the special tours they offer!
We couldn’t do our work without MHC, but also without YOU! With your support, we hope to expand our impact and reach our fundraising goal of $15,000 😱
Click the link below to donate today! All donations until 12/31 will be matched by the Partners for Health Foundation 🌱
https://www.montclaircommunityfarms.org/donate
Have you spotted our Mobile Farm Stand around Essex County? 👀
The center of our work at Montclair Community Farms will always be affordable food access🥬. Lana, Bridget, and Satoni from our farm team 👩🏻🌾👩🏽🌾👩🌾 alongside our interns and Farmpreneurs are able to bring our organic local produce directly to the community members who need it most.
This season our Mobile Farm Stand expanded to 53 market locations throughout Montclair and Essex County and 3 new monthly pop-up locations, but our hearts ❤️ lie where we began. Which is our weekly visits to the First Montclair House and the PineRidge senior housing center.
The team delivers more than simply nutrient-dense fruit and vegetables 🍎, they help spread joy, connect community members across generations, and empower💪🏽 our youth to give back to their neighbors.
In addition to subsidizing our prices and participating in the Good Food Bucks program to double the value of SNAP benefits, this year MCF was proud to provide direct support to the local senior population by teaming up with other organizations to provide $30 💵 Farm Stand vouchers to over 50 seniors.
We appreciate our Farm Stand regulars and all 569 customers we served this year, who give our team as much joy and enrichment as we aim to give them 🫶🏼.
Please consider making a donation today to support our Mobile Farm Stand operations next season. As a 501(c)3, all donations to Montclair Community Farms are tax-deductible, and all donations will be generously matched dollar for dollar by the Partners for Health Foundation🌱
The powerful work of Montclair Community Farms is only possible because of the strong community that stands behind us.
🌱Link to donate:
https://www.montclaircommunityfarms.org/donate
