Photo caption: Santa Toribio, an apprentice at Pat’s Pastured Farm.
Santa Toribio’s introduction to animal husbandry came over two decades ago, when she was a university student in Santo Domingo studying veterinary sciences. However, prior to this past summer when she received an SCLT apprentice position at Pat’s Pastured Farm, she had never worked on a small-scale, sustainable livestock farm.
From artisan chocolate makers to school administrators, exercise physiologists to SNAP outreach workers, a group of people invested in the state of local food and public health gathered at the Social Enterprise Greenhouse’s Community Table on Sept. 27.
Usually it takes somewhere between several months to a year or more for a new garden or urban farm to go from the idea stage to completion (with design and planning, funding, installation and planting in between). So, when a garden for the nonprofit Higher Ground International was built within two months of being proposed, some of its clients called it a miracle.
CRANSTON, RI—When Jamhal Latimer returned from four years of military service he wasn’t sure what was next. The adjustment period was challenging, and it was during this time of transition he turned to cleaner eating. Having never willingly eaten vegetables in his life, or known the benefit of real nutrition, Latimer’s homemade smoothies created an opening in his life’s path.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP)—A nonprofit in Providence has been awarded nearly $600,000 in federal funding to help expand training opportunities for beginning farmers and ranchers throughout Rhode Island.
Photo caption:Acknowledging a gift to Peace and Plenty Community Garden are, from left, Heather Beauchemin and Bryan Labrie of the Elmwood Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Mayor Elorza, Linda Lillie of the Center, Sen. Juan Pichardo, Rep. Grace Diaz, garden leader Doug Victor, Jenny Boone of SCLT and Kishma Pringle, another Center employee.
A new urban farm in Providence’s Olneyville neighborhood opens today. It’s the fifth urban farm created by the nonprofit Southside Community Land Trust.
The land trust has a network of 51 urban farms and community gardens. Executive Director Margaret DeVos explains that Providence needs these spaces because several of the city’s neighborhoods lack grocery stores. That means residents have limited access to produce at most of their local convenience stores.
By LEIGH VINCOLA/ecoRI News contributor
PROVIDENCE — This growing season the Southside Community Land Trust (SCLT) will introduce a farming apprenticeship specifically designed for veterans and minorities. Funded by a grant from the USDA’s Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers Program, this is the first opportunity of its kind in the area.
Did you know that SCLT helps make it possible for some of Providence’s best restaurants to offer dishes using the tastiest, locally grown ingredients? Every week during the growing season chefs place their orders for everything from bok choy, Swiss chard and herbs to edible flowers for their culinary creations thanks to Little City Growers co-op.
SCLT’s annual Rare & Unusual Plant Sale takes place at City Farm, at the corner of Dudley and Clifford Streets in Providence’s South Side. SCLT members* can come an hour early on Saturday (9 am) a for a preview.
