Women-Owned Lesedi Farms Crowdfunds For Farmland

Dear Community,

We are Lesedi Farms, a small farm-to-table food and agricultural business that has been operating in Island county and the local Seattle Farmer's markets for the past twenty years. We are a woman-owned small business of farmers, spanning several generations of hard work and dedication to land cultivation and sustainable growing practices. Our passion for sustainable agriculture has been passed down through the roots of our family, and now we are looking to take our farm to the next level. We have shown through our many years that we are very capable of delivering valuable products into customers' hands, who keep coming back for more! As seen here!

As we strive to grow our business, we need your help. We are currently in the process of seeking funding to purchase land that will allow us to have independence from leasing land and transitioning to land ownership. As you may know, Land Ownership for black farmers is fraught with significant barriers, systemic difficulty, and racial discrimination throughout history and that is very much still ongoing today. Farmland is a very difficult thing to procure without generational wealth, even with working with traditional institutions/programs meant to help and support marginalized farmers. We know the land that is our own, will help us create more opportunities and support for other black female farmers, but we have experienced many challenges. We want the safety and security afforded to so many other farmers, who don't have to worry about reporting to a landowner when their harvest is stolen, or experience storefront break-ins, etc. We want to be able to work and provide from the land with more security. Furthermore owning land helps us expand our operations, increase our crop yields, and create new jobs for members of our community.

By supporting our fundraising campaign, you will not only be helping three women achieve our long-awaited dreams, but you will also be investing in the future of sustainable agriculture, and helping us fight for equity in the agricultural business. Your contributions will enable us to continue our work of providing fresh, healthy, locally-grown produce and food products to the members of our community. As we fundraise for land, farm equipment, and transition costs, we bear in mind the hoops we had to jump to even be at this stage, where we can come to our community to ask hopefully for support and the continuation of our family's work. And we are already grateful for so much of our community's patronage of our products and services. So much of where we stand today is because of our customers and their support. And we want to take a moment to thank you so much.

We believe that our farm is more than just a business - it is a vital part of our community. We are not big, but we are mighty and are just getting started. We are committed to giving back and supporting the growth of our roots, and sharing the fruits of our labor with so many who have supported our business throughtout the years. With your help, we can take our farm to new heights and continue to make a positive impact in our community. As we close out the month of February, and Black History Month, we hope you will keep in mind that every day is a good day to make history and to support small black-owned businesses. If monetary donations aren't a way for you to support us, please feel free to check us on Insta (@lesedifarm20) and get more info at https://www.lesedifarm.com !

Thank you for your consideration and support.

Most Gratefully,

Lesedi Farms