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Low-income pregnant women and mothers of young children in Nevada County who are fed up with packaged, processed foods can now subscribe to weekly boxes of fresh organic produce, thanks to a partnership with a local farm and a federal program.
This year, Riverhill Farm has partnered with Women, Infants and Children (WIC), the program run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, to offer discounts on weekly food boxes to eligible families.
A grant of $2,500 from First 5 Nevada County and community donations will supply 15 shares for WIC families with a seasonal subscription to the farm’s Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program.
“We’ve been thinking a lot about how people are struggling to put food on the table. Since that’s what we do as farmers, we felt we were in a unique position” to help, said Jo McProud, who owns Riverhill Farm with her husband Alan Haight.
WIC traditionally has offered vouchers for heavily processed cereal, cheese and peanut butter, along with milk, eggs and beans. The farm partnership marks a radical departure.
Riverhill Farm is one of several in the region offering a direct relationship with customers by offering a weekly subscription to freshly harvested produce. During the season, McProud and Haight raise enough food to support 180 farm shares on the 6-acre farm.
“They come here to the farm to pick up a weekly box. We feel we get to nourish them in other ways,” McProud said.
At the farm, children can pick a fresh strawberry or dig a carrot from the earth — learning in a fun way where their food comes from. They often are more inclined to try eating it afterwards.
“When they have access to really delicious produce, it changes things. Suddenly they’re converts,” McProud said. “To establish those habits when they’re young is really important.”
Several CSA subscribers have donated money to help subsidize others to join this summer, and McProud is hoping others in the community will want to contribute.
“It really could be any of us. None of us are that far away from needing help. Now seems like the time to do this,” she added.
To learn more about the farm, visit RiverhillFarm.com. To sign up for a subscription or make a donation call Alan Haight at 263-1886.
To contact Laura Brown, e-mail lbrown@theunion.com or call 477-4231.
This year, Riverhill Farm has partnered with Women, Infants and Children (WIC), the program run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, to offer discounts on weekly food boxes to eligible families.
A grant of $2,500 from First 5 Nevada County and community donations will supply 15 shares for WIC families with a seasonal subscription to the farm’s Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program.
“We’ve been thinking a lot about how people are struggling to put food on the table. Since that’s what we do as farmers, we felt we were in a unique position” to help, said Jo McProud, who owns Riverhill Farm with her husband Alan Haight.
WIC traditionally has offered vouchers for heavily processed cereal, cheese and peanut butter, along with milk, eggs and beans. The farm partnership marks a radical departure.
Riverhill Farm is one of several in the region offering a direct relationship with customers by offering a weekly subscription to freshly harvested produce. During the season, McProud and Haight raise enough food to support 180 farm shares on the 6-acre farm.
“They come here to the farm to pick up a weekly box. We feel we get to nourish them in other ways,” McProud said.
At the farm, children can pick a fresh strawberry or dig a carrot from the earth — learning in a fun way where their food comes from. They often are more inclined to try eating it afterwards.
“When they have access to really delicious produce, it changes things. Suddenly they’re converts,” McProud said. “To establish those habits when they’re young is really important.”
Several CSA subscribers have donated money to help subsidize others to join this summer, and McProud is hoping others in the community will want to contribute.
“It really could be any of us. None of us are that far away from needing help. Now seems like the time to do this,” she added.
To learn more about the farm, visit RiverhillFarm.com. To sign up for a subscription or make a donation call Alan Haight at 263-1886.
To contact Laura Brown, e-mail lbrown@theunion.com or call 477-4231.
