Projects: "...a source of comfort to all of us who love good farming and good food"

Sunday, August 13, 2006 - 12:55 AM

Community Supported Agriculture, or CSA, is aimed at both increasing the quality of food and the quality of care given the land, plants and animals ¬ń while substantially reducing potential food losses and financial risks for the producers. Fairview Gardens was the second farm on the West Coast to offer a CSA.

The Center for Urban Agriculture at Fairview Gardens is a California non-profit organization that was established in 1997 to preserve and operate Fairview Gardens. Founded in 1895, the historic Fairview Gardens is considered by some to be the oldest organic farm in southern California, and is now preserved in perpetuity through an agricultural conservation easement.

The Center's mission is to preserve the agricultural heritage of this 100-year-old farm; provide the local community with fresh, chemical-free fruits and vegetables; demonstrate the economic viability of sustainable agricultural methods for small farm operations; research and interpret the connections between food, land, and community well being; and nurture the human spirit through educational programs and public outreach both on and off the farm.

Fairview Gardens offers a "hands on" apprenticeship program, in which apprentices work side-by-side with our field and marketing staff to learn the art and craft of farming through direct experience and observation.

Apprentices are encouraged to keep a journal of their observations and questions and meet regularly with the farm management staff for more formal instruction and guidance. The classes, workshops and other educational programs offered at the farm are available to apprentices at no charge. While the demands of the farm are our first priority, we direct apprentices towards materials, projects, and visits that can round out their experience here.

Certified Organic by Guaranteed Organic Certification Agency, 760-731-0496

"It maybe when we no longer know what to do, We have come to our real work, And that when we no longer know which way to go, We have begun our real journey."
--Wendell Berry, philosopher, poet, essayist, farmer, novelist, and social activist.