Hi, I’m Bari- a first-generation, woman young farmer and community organizer. Over the past 6+ years, I have worked on and managed several small-scale, organic farms. As an extension of the work I do on the land, I am actively involved in advocating for policies and systemic change to equitably uplift the next generation of farmers, conserve farmland, uphold farmworker rights and advance ecological, climate-resilient farm systems.
I am fundraising $36,000 to support the building of soil health, creation of wildlife habitat, and installation of infrastructure vital to starting Healing Poem Farm in Western New York. I humbly invite you to join me in the life-giving work of caring for our environment while producing nutrient-dense food for the local community.
Mission:
Healing the relationship between Mother Earth, each other and the Self through ecological, human-scale agriculture.
History:
Healing Poem Farm is inspired by Bari’s Grandma Lila, specifically her legacy of healing through poetry therapy as Creative and Social Director at the AIDS Day Treatment Program on West Twentieth Street in New York City for 18 years from the early 1980s until 2000. The farm is an ode to her deep passion for food + cooking, the pursuit of knowledge and, of course, poetry + healing.
Budget:
$36,000 will pay for:
- soil building materials and tools, including compost ($9,000), wood chips ($2,500), amendments ($500), cover crop seed ($500) and broad forks ($500) that will re-enliven the soil ecosystem and reduce compaction resulting in sequestration of atmospheric carbon and improved water holding capacity for climate resilience
- flowering perennials for hedgerows that will provide habitat and food for beneficial insects, animals and pollinators, including native bees and birds, as well as soften erosive winds to protect the soil and crops ($3,000)
- the installation of a well ($6,000) with a solar pump ($4,000) to supply the farm with an irrigation source powered by renewable energy
- completion of a gravel driveway and turnaround for farm access and deliveries ($10,000)