Auerfarm and Samad Gardens Initiative Working Together For Accessible CT Farms

Auerfarm
November 2023

A Fall Appeal for Accessible Farms in CT 

This past year your support has allowed us to reach over 17,000 people from our community; students, volunteers, and visitors. During their time at Auerfarm, we can impart our knowledge about agriculture through field trips, family programs, and adult education classes. With your continued support, whether it be through visiting us, attending our events, or donating, we can spread the seeds of sustainability, and farming to an even wider audience. 

It all boils down to accessibility. You and I are working to ensure that the Greater Hartford area has access to agricultural education and farm fresh produce. Our capital city, just five miles from Auerfarm, is a food desert leaving many families without access to affordable, healthy food. 

That’s where farmers like Samad Gardens Initiative and where contributions like yours come in. Meet Sarah Rose and Azeem Zakir Kareem, two farmers who are in the business of guiding others in regenerative farming practices. Sarah Rose and Azeem began teaching a “crash course” on regenerative farming practices using Auerfarm as their backdrop for education and farming. During their classes, they teach farm practices that focus on the health of the ecological system as a whole and prioritize soil health and the local ecosystem. Samad also directs the BIPOC (black, indigenous, people of color) incubator farmer program at Auerfarm which gives farmers a plot of land for them to begin learning the trade.

Through their efforts, more people in our community gain access to farming knowledge and fresh produce, addressing the critical issue of food insecurity. Samad Gardens Initiative is dedicated to cultivating a farm and urban garden education enterprise, providing ongoing support to aspiring gardeners and farmers, with a particular focus on serving our community. In their partnership with Auerfarm, and in turn, you, we can all work together to provide Bloomfield and Greater Hartford with access to these valuable resources.

With beginning farmers and contributions like yours we can work together so everyone can
enjoy, engage, and learn at Auerfarm.

Our vision for the future of Auerfarm is to become a community hub where people of all ages and backgrounds can learn from, engage with, and enjoy all the farm has to offer. 

Thank you for giving to Auerfarm and helping us reach our vision. 

Your generosity fuels the growth of essential programs, ensuring that the Greater Hartford area becomes a center of agricultural knowledge and accessible, healthy food options for all. By supporting Auerfarm, you are directly contributing to a more equitable and nourished community. 

CT farms do not have to be inaccessible. You can help. 

 

With warm regards, 

Erica Fearn,
Executive Director