The JK Community Farm believes that everyone has a right to healthy food. How are we improving access to fresh, affordable food?
The JK Community Farm was founded in May of 2018- with the help of JK Moving Services- to provide people in our region facing food insecurity with fresh, organic fruit, vegetables and protein. In 2019 the JK Community Farm will donate 113,000 lbs of locally grown, chemical-free food – 63,000 lbs of produce, and 50,000 lbs of natural beef, pork, and venison.
Located in Loudoun County, Virginia, our 150 acre farm is working toward a social change by promoting food education and providing local food pantries and shelters with locally grown, organic food. As our central distribution partner, Loudoun Hunger Relief, helps our fresh food reach the hands of those who need it within the week of harvest.
We host a variety of volunteers- individuals, field trips, community groups and corporate team building events – to plant and harvest our produce. Our volunteers have the opportunity learn gardening skills such as, planting, harvesting, composting, and basic construction. At the JK Community Farm, we are passionate about connecting students to their food and the farmers who grow it. We believe that this is the foundation for food education, building a lifelong commitment to food justice, and empowering healthy eating.
As the JK Community Farm continues to grow we will be able to impact the lives of a broader community, as well as advance self-reliance by providing the tools and the opportunity to learn how to address the disparities within our food system, and our society. Consumption of a healthy diet is a priority for reducing chronic diseases including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. This is where food education plays an important role, the unfortunate reality is that in today’s globalized food system, many people know very little about the journey of what they are eating, especially with pre-packaged foods. Food education is about promoting the education of nutrition in schools to promote healthy eating and the greater understanding of the food system among children. Lack of access to fresh food contributes to over eating and obesity, and poor mental health. With your help, we hope to see a reduction in chronic disease within our region.
Check out our website for information on how to support our growth: www.jkcommunityfarm.org
Follow us on social media to see what we are growing @jkcommunityfarm
About the Author:
Samantha Kuhn is the Executive Director of the JK Community Farm. While in college at the University of Tennessee, Samantha worked with a local community garden and fell in love with their mission. After graduation, she returned to Virginia, and presented the idea of a local community farm to her dad, Chuck Kuhn with JK Moving. JK Moving was excited to expand their corporate giving and make a sustainable, charitable impact on their community. Samantha is a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner and is passionate about fresh, local food.
