Help Ken Build A Sustainable Farm

The Initiative

My name is Ken.  I am a Farmer originally from Ohio and I am owner of The Farmer Ken Farm in Southern California.

 

Over the last few months, The Farmer Ken has taken on the initiative to expand the operation to become a source for high quality, fresh, organically grown produce in Southern California . 

In summer 2021, I relocated my farm so that I could have more land to create a larger impact on the food climate.  My current farm has 8 times the space as my last location. The farm has chickens, several vegetable garden plot areas, and some newly planted fruit trees. Many hours have been spent prepping and preparing the new land to grow an abundance of produce, and there have been several challenges along the journey.  A larger amount of  time and expenses have been spent repairing the soil and building fencing to keep pests away from the plots.  I need the additional support to continue the progression on the farm.

One of my goals is to is provide fresh produce to  youth and families in under-resourced communities with limited access to fresh food alternatives. Many areas are saturated with fast food restaurants and  convenience stores, and very few grocery stores. The lack of food sources in these areas lead to unhealthy eating habits, which in turn leads to higher risk of health complications, illnesses and diseases. This has a long lasting effect on life expectancy. These issues have become expounded due to the pandemic.

 

Donations will assist with the buildout, purchasing of equipment and supplies, soil,  trees,

seeds , storage , refrigeration, staffing needs, utilities, water-wise planning, and building a solid infrastructure to have the farm fully operating as a sustainable food resource for the community.  

 

About Me

Gardening has always been a special part of my family. My garden journey started in Ohio at age 5 with my Grandmother and Great-Grandmother.  I have a minor in Agriculture from The Ohio State University , a Master of Education in Youth Program Development from The University of Illinois at Chicago, and have worked several years with schools and community based organizations in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Columbus Ohio.  I also  have 30 plus years of expertise in farming and gardening in both urban and rural settings.

 

My passion has always been to help empower communities through education, programing and resources.  Over the past 15 years,  I have implemented youth and family education and enrichment programs and have  incorporated community garden spaces in Columbus OH, Chicago, IL and Los Angeles, CA.

 

The Farmer Ken has been recently featured in several outlets including Modern Farmer Magazine, LA Times, ABC7News,  LA Times Today Spectrum  News, Voyage LA , Shout Out LA , Atlanta Journal Constitution and San Diego Tribune.

 

Thanks so much for your contributions in reaching my goal!

Instagram:@FarmerKenOfficial