Increase food access with the Mobile Farmers Market!
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We are combating food insecurity.
This year, nearly one in three Yolo County residents will face food insecurity. In fact, Yolo County has the highest rate of food insecurity in all of California. But at the Center for Land-Based Learning, our Mobile Farmers Market trucks are driving change by delivering fresh, local, nutrient-dense produce to the West Sacramento, Woodland, Esparto and Knights Landing communities that need it most.
The Center for Land-Based Learning is the only organization in California with a full-circle model for sustainable food access! We train beginning farmers and teach them how to sell produce on our mobile farmers market trucks in West Sacramento and Woodland. Those trucks then travel to low-income neighborhoods, senior centers, and community hubs where folks can use their SNAP benefits to purchase goods at a discount. Those customers – who come from places like Afghanistan, Ukraine, and Mexico – tell us what they would like to eat, and then our farmers plan their crops accordingly. (Fun fact: Our No. 1 crop is okra!)
How do we do it? So glad you asked!
We believe farms and farmers are the foundation of a healthy and equitable society, so our mission is to train up the next generation of growers and land stewards so all Californians will have access to healthy food. We also work to ensure that the people who grow our food are paid a living wage, that tomorrow's farmers are trained in climate-smart growing practices, and that our working lands are supported by fresh air, clean waterways and healthy habitats.
We grow farmers.
In our California Farm Academy, aspiring farmers and farm-curious folks learn what it takes to start and manage an agricultural business and decide whether farming is the right career path. Beginning farmers can gain access to land in Yolo County, as well as infrastructure and ongoing training in our Farm Business Incubator.
The Beginning Farm and Ranch Management Apprenticeship Program trains individuals for farm management jobs by providing practical experience, valuable skills, connections to farmer mentors, and an industry-recognized credential.
We equip next-gen ag leaders and natural resource stewards.
The FARMS (Farming, Agriculture, and Resource Management for Sustainability) Program introduces, trains, and recruits high school students for college and career opportunities in agriculture and environmental sciences. And the SLEWS (Student and Landowner Education and Watershed Stewardship) Program engages high-school students in habitat restoration through a series of hands-on field days at real projects that develop science skills and environmental stewardship.
Caring for Our Watersheds inspires students to identify and find solutions to environmental problems. This contest awards student proposals with prize money and project implementation funds.
In partnership with the City of Sacramento's Thousand Strong program, our high-school Urban Ag Interns are mentored through a paid internship, develop their school gardens, and receive training in soft skills that prepare them for college and careers.
We demonstrate agricultural innovation.
At our 30-acre headquarters at the historic Maples Farm in Woodland, we are building biodiversity by implementing thousands of linear feet of native plant habitat, bird and bat nesting boxes, and riparian restoration project along Cache Creek. In collaboration with public and private partners, our Carbon Farm Plan Project tests climate-smart farming practices and trains other farmers in agricultural carbon sequestration tools. It’s a 25-year-minimum project to address the myriad issues facing tomorrow's farmers.