TLS Farms/Chefs 2010- Adopt-A-Farmbox

Farm: Ronald & Aki Hirata-Baker

Title: Adopt-A-Farmbox
Size: 2’ x 4’ x 12”
Ingredients: reclaimed ceder, recycled plastic, plastic bottles

Bio: Adopt-A-Farmbox will donate farmboxes to several schools in the New York City area this Fall, including several schools throughout Brooklyn. The organization is volunteer-based and they need help to o set the costs of the reclaimed wood and other recycled materials used to construct the farmboxes. This grass-roots campaign started in their backyard in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn and has become an exemplar project integrating community development with education, food, creativity and agriculture.

Interpretation:
A Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn based couple and proud parents of two children; Ronald & Aki Baker invite you to engage in urban farming with Adopt-a-Farmbox. A “Self-Made” community action project, Adopt-A-Farmbox began in May 2010 as a solution-based non-profit initiative that empowers people through food by providing an opportunity for children and adults in New York City to learn to grow vegetables and fruits. Through their company, Baker Design + Build, they build and donate farm boxes made from 100% recycled wood to schools and community organizations for the purpose of growing food. Along with the farmboxes, they provide resources, educational materials, and support to facilitate the learning process from planting to harvesting. “We use farmboxes to create opportunities for people to reconnect with food,” says Ronald Baker, “We believe that the best way to help families and communities break the cycles of diabetes and obesity is to expose them to healthier food options and to engage them in the process from seed to fork. Our goal is to create a sense of pride and ownership while de-mystifying the concept of healthy, wholesome food.”