ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Nestled in the South Valley, two urban farms are bridging the gap. They’re helping bring new communities to the farm in the hopes of teaching and passing on the very agricultural practices that bring food to your plate and the work it takes to get it there.
Lindsey Johnson is one of nine farmers at a four-acre farm hidden in the South Valley called Chispas Farm. Johnson told News 13, “Urban farming is often a surprise to people. We’re in the middle of a neighborhood. It’s amazing that there’s a farm here. But this is agricultural land.”
The farm is lined with fields of leafy greens and orchards. Johnson says the farm utilizes a variety of agricultural practices that boost soil health in this changing climate.
“I think one of the most special parts of this farm is that one of our goals is to expose as many people as we can to what a farm is,” Johnson explained. As the farm’s name suggests, they light a spark in its volunteers, hoping to fuel a love for agriculture.
“We exist to grow our local food economy and to bring people onto a farm, wherever that can lead them,” emphasized Johnson.
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And just a short drive down the road sits Mandy’s Farm, which is tapping into a community that’s been overlooked in the past to grow the agricultural workforce of tomorrow.
“So people with disabilities are often left out of the conversations regarding employment, and here at Mandy’s Farm, we believe everybody can work,” explained Executive Director at Mandy’s Farm Melissa McCue. She says anyone, regardless of their ability, can find purpose by connecting themselves to the earth…