Your Community
Smart Farm
Community:
Barrington
Focus Areas:
- Food Access
- Nutrition / Food / Gardening Education
- School Programs / Youth Education
Organization Mission:
Smart Farm is an educational garden for the Barrington area and nearby communities. Adults, children, and students learn about their agricultural heritage, organic gardening, the slow food movement, and best practices for living “green,” sustainable lives.
Description:
LEARN: Smart Farm is an educational garden for the Barrington area and nearby communities. Adults, children, and students learn about their agricultural heritage, organic gardening, the slow food movement, and best practices for living “green,” sustainable lives.
GROW: Volunteer to help us grow our vegetables, using the latest techniques in integrated pest management, water and soil conservation, and composting.
SHARE: All of our produce is shared with local food pantries.
Mission Statement: The Smart Farm will cultivate a healthy, eco-friendly community by:
- Offering adults and children learning opportunities in sustainable gardening
- Promoting the benefits of sustainable gardening and living
- Donating fresh produce to support our neighbors in need
The Smart Farm is an educational 11-acre sustainable farm that provides all that we grow to our local food pantries. We have developed many partnerships over the last 8 years. Our newest partnership with Mindful Waste is a perfect synergy. Together, we will expand our mission and our expertise at the farm. This fall will be our first year participating in the formal education process with Barrington School District 220. We are excited to host all the third grade students in our district for a farm to school integrated learning process.
Another key partnerships that we will be fostering more this year will be the
Northern Illinois Food Bank. In the last 2 years, our organization has grown from a garden to a farm. Now that we will be growing much more fresh food, we will need help getting the food that we grow to those in need. The NIFB has already connected us with some organizations that will help harvest and transport.