Being involved in a community is beneficial for several health reasons, but today we are going to focus on the food benefits of it. By being a part of a food and farming community, you can ensure healthy and sustainable eating habits, while supporting your local neighbors.
The High Desert Food and Farm Alliance (HDFFA) for example, is a great network to be a part of. They are located in central Oregon and their mission is to support a healthy food community through collaboration and inclusivity. The central idea with the HDFFA is that they believe everyone deserves good food and it should be accessible to everyone.
What does the HDFFA support?
The HDFFA supports agriculture in central Oregon. They team up with local farmers, entrepreneurs, and organizations to implement projects, initiatives, and events to build a strong and healthy food community. The HDFFA actively promotes local food and co-promote small to mid-sized range family farmers. They also provide networking events, training opportunities, and infrastructure grants to local farmers.
Food Access is another aspect the HDFFA heavily supports. As mentioned before, they believe healthy food should be accessible to everyone. So what is the HDFFA doing to help ensure this? They purchase food directly from local farmers for its food access programs. The HDFFA also provides educational materials about how to shop, prep, and cook with fresh foods. To further minimize any barriers against accessing local food, the HDFFA partnered with VeggieRX to help get fresh produce delivered to people.
How do I get Involved?
The HDFFA is currently taking applications for their 2021 partnership program that comes with a variety of benefits such as connecting with farmers, ranchers, food businesses, and organizations dedicated to local food, listing in the Food & Farm Directory, and networking opportunities including Chef-Farmer Mixers! Partnership fees are required to make food accessible for everyone, and it is on a sliding scale based on gross income. For more information check out their website.
Overall
The High Desert Food and Farm Alliance is only one of many communities in Oregon that support local farming. If you’re interested in joining a food and farming network and are located in central Oregon, be sure to check out the HDFFA and sign up for their partnership program.
Also, let us know if you would like us to highlight other farming communities located in Oregon!
Green Eats 