Support Valencia's Farm Start-Up & Sustainability

YOUR SUPPORT, MY HEALTHY COMMITMENT

Greetings! My name is Valencia Andrews and I’m a new farmer and aspiring herbalist. I am writing to ask for your support with paying for my apprenticeship with Sacred Vibes Apothecary Owner and Master Herbalist Empress Karen Rose and for my new farm business start-up and supply costs for the upcoming season.

MY STORY AND MY WHY

Over the years, I’ve taken a personal interest in developing better approaches to caring for myself and communities through birth work, food, different forms of medicine, and spiritual and natural practices. Acting on this interest, I sought out more information on herbal medicine and realized its potential to change the trajectory and quality of my life and the lives of those I can reach. I, essentially, developed a greater curiosity for herbal medicine through birth work. In seeking out ways to develop myself and expand my offerings to my community, I've committed myself to being a life-long learner.

Recently, I relocated back home to Western Massachusetts with family, to give myself more space and opportunity to focus on my health, goals and the studies that will help me reach them-I intend to become a medicinal herbs farmer, here in the northeast. As I transition into farming, I believe that learning herbalism, through an apprenticeship, is important to establishing my relationship with the land and medicinal herbs.

Before my return home and with intentionality, I sought out volunteer opportunities with local farming organizations and was immediately connected with the Northeast Organic Farming Association (Massachusetts chapter.) Since then, I have been volunteering alongside the Food Access Director with Tapley Gardens Youth Agricultural Scientists—a program of NOFA/MA. Through volunteering with NOFA, reading, education, and spending more time with organic farmers, I’ve learned more about the power of community efforts and the extreme need for regenerative farming practices committed to justice and sustainability. These efforts have helped me further realize my vision for a life rooted in wellness, community engagement and freedom from illness. I want to offer people spaces of rest and restoration through herbal medicine and education for all ages. I’ve come up with a multi-phased plan, starting with my first growing season this spring.

STEPS I’VE MADE TOWARD MY GOALS:

• Volunteer with the youth of Northeast Organic Farming Association

• Completed the Master Urban Gardener’s Course with the Trustees of Reservations

• Completed a Farm Business Planning Course with New Entry at Tufts University

• Attended and volunteered at NOFA’s 36th Annual Winter Farming Conference

• Received my acceptance letter to Sacred Vibes Apprenticeship starting March 8th

• Committed to a farming workshare with Samad Gardens Initiative LLC at Auerfarm in Bloomfield, CT beginning this spring

SHORT and LONGTERM VISIONS

• To become a trained herbalist

• To grow organic medicinal herbs for teas, hair/skin/nail care, tinctures, baths, and other blends and extracts

• To offer an herbal CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) for local pick-up and delivery options with instructional videos for members to learn how to use their herbs and to share recipes

• To open an herbal apothecary offering herbal medicine locally and online

• To open a farm-based bed and breakfast for people to come and rest (and learn about herbal wellness, if they choose)

• To offer educational programs engaging the community and particularly, the youth

• To host community groups and other wellness practitioners for various programming

• To work collaboratively with other farmers on efforts for increasing farming opportunities for other BIPOC, language justice, soil-health education, and regenerative farming

COST AND PURPOSE FOR FUNDS RAISED

• Level One and Two (year one) of Sacred Vibes Apprenticeship - Cost $6,500 with a deposit of $1,000 due by February 8th

• New farmer/farming business start-up costs – Roughly $2,350 which will include:

New Farming Business Costs:

o LLC formation $500 (Updated from $250 as per Massachusetts laws)

o Cottage Food License (to sell dried herbs, teas, etc.) $50

o Liability insurance $350

o Farmer Incubator lease (@ Auerfarm) $250/yr

Farming costs:

o Vermont compost fort light potting mix 120 qt - $94

o Heirloom seeds - $100 - $200 budget

o Mycorrhizal seed inoculate $57/1#

o Organic Molasses fertilizer $14

o Organic Fish emulsion + kelp – Roughly $70

o Vermiculite (sm bag) - $20

o Black plastic mulch 4’ x 250’ - $40

o Drip irrigation garden kit - $152

o Seeding trays 20 ct 72 cell - $50

o Bottom trays 20 ct - $50

o NutriVeg mineral blend 50# - $70.50

o Planting hand tools (trowel, harvest knife, pruners, mallet) $38

o Wooden stakes x 30-50 ct $30

o Season extension - steel galvanized hoops 50 ct 76” $179

o Agribon fabric 8’ x 250’ - $100

o Uline sandbags 100 ct

Starting a new farming business is a HUGE and ONGOING endeavor and support from the community is immeasurable. No matter the donation amount, EVERY dollar counts! Every SHARE counts. Thank you so much for your consideration and support!