Sustainable Farming, Food and Education
I had the pleasure of attending a fund-raising dinner at Pie Ranch, a local working farm in Pescadero, CA, this past Saturday. Id been gifted the tickets and had some idea of what to expect: a lovely outdoor meal with about a hundred other people; paired wines; farm-raised meats and veggies; dancing!; and pie (as the name implies, and they live up to it!).
What I didnt expect was to be moved by the mission and backbone of the farm. Its a true call to presence this project of farming and educating that the founders, Nancy Vail, Jered Lawson, and Karen Heisler, created out of a triangular (hence the name) piece of land. Pie ranch hosts youth from local and regional high schools and teaches them about the actuality, beauty, necessity and power of growing food. They extend this educational outreach to apprentice farmers who spend an entire year immersed in the business of farming.
As Pie Ranch states, Our mission is to inspire and connect people to know the source of their food, and to work together to bring greater health to the food system from seed to table.
Its such a fundamental right to have healthy food, and I was humbled and overjoyed at their commitment to community and to helping bring about a sustainable farming model as a new commonplace standard for our nations food sourcing.
Some very beautiful images were taken of the farm, food and revelers by Lars Howlett, and I encourage you to take a look, get inspired and join in the next Pie Ranch event.
- Jocelyn Broyles
Headline image ! Lars Howlett
