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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 12, 2022)
Wednesday, January 12, 2022 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon Seed to Table expands Seed to Table hits fundraising goals produce shares program By Katy Yoder Correspondent Seed to Table, a Sisters agricultural and education nonprofit, is opening sign-ups January 20 for this season9s produce shares. The early sign- up offers a longer availability of fresh veggies, sliding-scale payment options, and SNAP/ EBT payment options. Seed to Table9s produce share is based on a model called community supported agriculture or CSA. This con- cept was created in the 1960s by Booker T. Whatley, a Black horticulturist, agricultural pro- fessor, and advocate for farm- ing practices that help sustain and rebuild the land. In a pro- duce share, individuals or fam- ilies pay in advance or monthly for a season of fresh, local veg- etables. Each week the bounty of veggies is laid out market- style at the Seed to Table farmstand. Produce share members browse and choose what they want to take home. A small produce share receives six to eight items and a large share receives nine to 11 items each week. The produce shares run May 4 through October 19. With the incorporation of a spring greens variety, this is nearly a month longer than previous years. Pickups happen at Seed to Table Farm in Sisters 3 to 5:45 p.m. on Wednesdays or at Sisters Farmers Market on Sundays from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. If transportation is a bar- rier, Seed to Table can arrange to deliver to locations within 20 miles of Sisters. Seed to Table has been learning from fellow farmers and advocates across the coun- try about methods to increase access to fresh produce. <The board and staff are grateful for the opportunity to build on models from other farms to implement a new sliding-scale payment sys- tem intended to better serve the variety of needs of our community members,= said Audrey Tehan, founder and executive director. With this sliding-scale model, members choose a pay- ment level that works best for them. The first option starts at $20 a week, and moves to the <Market Value,= and finally a <Pay It Forward= share. Moving to a sliding-scale payment model supports a vision where all people have access to fresh produce. Sign- ups begin January 20 at www. seedtotableoregon.org. Finishing up their final fundraising efforts for 2021, the Seed to Table Oregon (S2T) team is extending a heartfelt <thank you= for all the generous donations received by the nonprofit. Board member Barb Schulz reflected on the future for the nonprofit as commu- nity members and partner- ships help expand Seed to Table9s impact in Central Oregon. <I9m thrilled by the broad community support that helped us reach our goals. Community members can look forward to amazing produce. Our education pro- grams will also benefit from the funding, along with the Sisters Farmers Market. There will be new produce in our greenhouses and fertile ground ready to produce more food to feed even more fami- lies. With a wonderful staff and effective board, we9re going strong,= said Schulz. Audrey Tehan, founder and executive director of S2T, is feeling gratitude and opti- mism for the coming growing season. The board and staff ramped up fundraising goals because of increased demand for produce and a 30 per- cent rise in K-12 farm-based education. <We are grateful to have so many generous contributors, on all levels, who make these programs happen. It allows us to feed and educate more people,= said Tehan. She is celebrating and wel- coming a growing network of supporters, including 20 per- cent more new donors. Programming and farm yields last year were robust. Farm-based classes provided by S2T served 1,200 youth through the Sisters School District and summer pro- grams. Students attended field trips to the farm where they learned how to grow, harvest, and prepare nutritious meals. In addition, S2T provided learning opportunities in the high school greenhouse and during the seasonal Sisters Farmers Market, which is managed by S2T. In 2022, S2T staff and board members are con- tinuing the theme <Digging Deeper.= For Tehan and her team, it9s not about getting 7 bigger but getting better at providing produce and educa- tional opportunities that ben- efit the entire Sisters commu- nity and beyond. Tehan will be focusing in key areas like community programming, food distribution, the Sisters Farmers Market, collabora- tive partnerships, and farm production. The shared vision will make the nonprofit more nimble, efficient, and an even more valuable community asset. Seed to Table is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (tax ID number 82-3795618), with a mission to increase health and wellness of the Central Oregon community through providing equitable access to locally grown, farm- fresh produce and offering opportunities in farm-based education. For more information about Seed to Table visit www.seedtotableoregon.org. CALL FOR 2022 OPTIONS! health insurance open enrollment ends Jan. 15 Individual & Family Health Plans Jonie Peck — Owner & Agent 503-807-2148 in Sisters sapphiremoonhealthinsurance.com SAPPHIRE MOON HEALTH INSURANCE