Dig Where You Live: A Reflection on 10 Years of Raleigh City Farm
By: Jamie Ousterout, Raleigh City Farm Co-Chair
Raleigh City Farm (RCF) was founded ten years ago as “A place where anyone can learn about farming.” RCF transformed a vacant parking lot into a flourishing, one-acre non-profit urban farm that helps feed our Triangle community. We recently celebrated this major milestone at our annual Bearthday event, and we also commemorated the occasion in a wonderful video featuring local community members.
I began volunteering with RCF three and a half years ago. I have always had a love of cooking and a strong appreciation for fresh produce and local farmers, but I myself was not a farmer…not even close. My friends and family were all skeptical and couldn’t believe I was volunteering at a farm—they just couldn’t picture me pulling weeds or planting seeds. Of course, it made more sense to them when I explained I was a volunteer on the marketing and communications committee. Two years ago, I had the honor of joining the board of directors and am now proud to serve as co-chair of the board. During my tenure, I’ve learned about sustainable farming practices, and last year, I even successfully grew some herbs and veggies in my backyard. RCF really is a place where anyone—myself included—can learn how to be a farmer.
As with any organization, RCF has had some difficulties during its 10-year existence, the unprecedented pandemic being a recent challenge. I am proud to say that we have adapted and are not only existing, but thriving. Just prior to the pandemic, we made the decision to change our operating strategy. Our mission was to grow the next generation of farmers by connecting our community to sustainable agriculture. Therefore, we had partnered with young, entrepreneurial farmers to provide land that they would farm and sell produce in a community supported agriculture (CSA) model.
However, in January 2020, we pivoted and introduced our “New Season of Stewardship” to further the impact of our mission. This new strategy included hiring a farm manager (rather than partnering with for-profit farmers), supporting a new and robust intern program, selling produce directly to community members at our weekly Farmstand, and donating produce to local non-profits addressing food insecurity and access like A Place at the Table and Inter-faith Food Shuttle, among others.
This new model and these new partnerships became even more impactful when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and food insecurity increased dramatically. We were able to safely sell produce to our community as well as donate it to those in need during a critical time. Following the murder of George Floyd and other racial injustices, RCF also made commitments, vowing to build an inclusive culture where all are welcome and create a more just and equitable future. We stand by these commitments and continue our work to be a diverse and inclusive organization that promotes and supports economic equity for farmers in North Carolina.
With our commitments and new strategy in place (and put to the test over the past year), the board of directors recently decided it was the right time to revisit our mission, vision, and values. To me, these are the anchors for any organization that define why an organization exists. It keeps every member of the organization grounded and committed, especially during times of difficulty. But just as sometimes an anchor needs to be lifted so that the boat can travel to a new, even more exciting destination, sometimes these key organization elements need to be refocused. Therefore, we recently worked together as a board to redefine our anchors as follows:
Mission: To connect and nourish our community through regenerative agriculture.
Vision: A healthy community supporting the next generation of farmers.
Values:
Nutrition - Championing the importance of growing accessible and affordable local food.
Innovation - Cultivating the entrepreneurial spirit and sustainable practices of farmers to protect and steward the land.
Collaboration - Building partnerships that increase our mission impact and strengthen bonds of community and trust.
Equity - Addressing the deep roots of racial and gender inequities and injustice through promoting and supporting economic equity for farmers in NC.
We will fulfill our new mission by:
Continuing to connect our community by cultivating interns who are eager to learn about farming as well as by welcoming our community to the farm at our weekly Farmstand, volunteer workdays, workshops, yoga classes, and annual events like Bearthday and Harvest Dinner
Partnering with non-profits to nourish our entire community—not just those who can afford fresh, local produce
Implementing regenerative agriculture practices that not only maintain our natural resources and the environment, but improve them
When we fulfill our mission, we will achieve our vision of a healthy community—one that not only has access to fresh, local produce but also a community that can support the next generation by addressing food insecurity, championing agriculture practices that improve the environment, and creating a more inclusive, equitable culture for all.
A decade is a major milestone for any organization to celebrate. With this milestone and our refreshed strategy along with our refined mission, vision, and values that guide our way, we believe our one-acre farm can and will continue do big things. We invite you to dig in and join us on the farm where you will learn not only how to be a farmer but also how a community can come together to make real change.
#DigWhereYouLive