Jennifer Watts
Cobblestone Farm
Fayetteville, Ark.
The Natural State has the second-highest rate of household food insecurity in the country (19.7 percent). Cobblestone Farm provides free fresh produce — and education about sustainable farming and healthy eating — to low-income and homeless residents in northwestern Arkansas. “You see so much about hunger relief in Third World countries without realizing there’s over 2,000 homeless people that live in [this region],” says Watts, the executive director. “And northwest Arkansas is certainly not the only place where this kind of initiative could thrive.”
Why we chose this farming project:
In addition to distributing fresh fruits and vegetables to local food banks, Cobblestone invites families and local students out to the farm to learn about organic growing. The ultimate goal: empower those without easy access to healthy food to grow their own fruits and veggies.
When Community Supported Agriculture supports the surrounding community:
The farm is partially funded by proceeds from Farm-to-Harvest shares, Cobblestone’s CSA program. The shares are purchased by families in the Fayetteville area, and half of the cost of the share represents a donation to Cobblestone. Many supporters also pay for shares, and then donate the produce to families in need.