Santa Barbara A Rocha July Newsletter

Summer is upon us in the best of ways. The farm is ramping up for our next big harvest with pretty much the entire area planted out. Did you know that in May the Five Loaves Farm produced over 2,500 lbs. of veggies that were distributed to the poor of Santa Barbara? We are the only reliable source of high quality organic produce distributed freely to the needy of our community. This produce is used by groups feeding poor families, homeless men and women, hospice patients, and the elderly poor. In addition we have just completed three weeks of Creation Care Camps. More than 60 kids participated in the camps with numerous volunteers, helpers, and parents in tow. We also have three interns working and learning with us this summer. To learn more about any of these activities just click on the title of any of the following articles.

Five Loaves Farm’s Unique Niche

Creation Care Camp

Interns ~ Summer 2011

In addition I want to let you all know where we currently stand financially. About six weeks ago I was really discouraged about the future of Santa Barbara A Rocha. Emiko and I have stretched the budget this year to get us through about December, but after that there is no future funding promised to keep the farm going. After one particularly discouraging morning my eyes were opened to the reality of the unique niche that the A Rocha and the Five Loaves Farm play. As I mentioned in the first paragraph of this letter, the produce from the Five Loaves Farm is the only reliable source of quality produce available to the poor of our community. Later that same day and over the next couple of days four different organizations that work with the poor in our area thanked us for the food needs we are fulfilling with others requesting to be a part of the food distribution. It is awesome to know that we are filling a real need and the side benefits of it all are the relationships that are being built. It is about forming genuine, restorative community relationships that translate into appropriate care and action for the people who receive the food, those who distribute it to those in need, the leaders and volunteers of the conservation groups we work with, the families who come to our camp and school programs, the volunteers and interns who work along side us, and the land itself. Our hope is that we are a “cup of cool water” to all who are touched by our work.

But what does this have to do with finances? After December the farm will cease to operate without an increase in financial support. It costs us about $60,000 a year to operate the farm. Some of you are already monthly givers. Maybe you could encourage someone you know to join you in supporting the Five Loaves Farm. For the rest of you, won’t you consider joining us by giving what you can on a monthly basis? Click here to be directed to the ARUSA website where you can set up your donation and designate it for Santa Barbara A Rocha.

Despite the insecure nature of our financial future, we have a lot to be thankful for and a lot of work that we’re excited to do. We’ll keep you posted on upcoming developments and events. Don’t hesitate to drop us a line; we’d love to hear from you. Thank you for your support.


Paz,

Marty Robertson
Director, Santa Barbara A Rocha

Five Loaves Farm’s Unique Niche

The Five Loaves Farm is now in full production. The entire 3 acres are planted out with veggies ranging from Anaheim Peppers to Zucchinis. May found us giving away 2500 lbs. of produce and June a little over 1700 lbs. From late July through September we should see a doubling of these quantities. It’s a beautiful sight to behold and it is uniquely filling real needs in our community!

We are now the only regular supplier of first-rate quality fresh produce, grown according to organic standards, to some of the poorest communities in Santa Barbara. We continue to distribute food through the Santa Barbara Community Development Center in Isla Vista on a weekly basis. Due to our increase in productivity we have expanded our distribution through Food Bank of Santa Barbara. This ensures that the food gets to people in need around our community. Organizations that currently use our produce include the Organic Soup Kitchen (healthy meals for the homeless, transition house, and pregnant moms), Food From the Heart (providing meals for hospice and the critically ill), and St. Vincent’s (meals for single moms and their children). In addition we have begun distributing produce through Querencia’s Eastside Kids’ Club and hope to begin distribution through Garden Court a retirement home for the elderly poor of Santa Barbara.

There are numerous families in Santa Barbara that live at or below the federally defined poverty level. That number is effectively larger when one considers the high cost of living in our area. One of the greatest needs in the culture of poverty is for healthy food. Most poor families can receive food from local distribution agencies like the ones Santa Barbara A Rocha has partnered with, but without the produce grown at Five Loaves Farm most of these agencies are limited to offering primarily non-perishable and often highly-processed foods. Any vegetables that are distributed are typically cast-offs from local farms or markets.

Without the food produced by the Five Loaves Farm there would be no fresh healthy vegetables to offer these members of our community. By our donations of high quality, nutritious, organic produce we communicate that the needy of our community are loved and as valuable as any other member of our society. It's a concrete way of communicating the love of Christ. We are fulfilling a very unique niche. What a blessing to be able to tangibly give of our “first fruits.”

I bet you would like to be a part of this. Come out any Monday evening from 5:00-7:00. It is an open time to hang out and work the soil with friends. We are also going to be in need of harvest help on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:00-12:00. You know the line… “the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.” Send Emiko an email if you would like to help harvest.

Creation Care Camp

The earth is the Lord's and everything in it. (Psalm 24:1)
We have just completed three weeks of Creation Care Camp where more than 60 children ages 6 to 13 participated in activities that guided them toward a deeper appreciation for our world (we hope!). Each week followed a curriculum of geology, botany, entomology, ornithology, and recycling/composting.We played hard, covered a lot of ground, got dirty, and had a ton of fun!

The stones along the road would burst into cheers. (Luke 19:40)

Day one had us out on the long Geology hike through the San Marcos Foothills Preserve Park. We worked hard to understand geomorphology, the dynamic nature of how the earth is shaped and continues to be shaped. Along the hike we were visited by friendly California King Snakes, Gopher Snakes and had the opportunity to watch several Brush Bunnies and gophers in a restoration area along Atascadero Creek. It was kind of like a zoo…

Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! (Proverbs 6:6)
On day two we focused on recycling and composting with a visit from my friend Eric Lohela. Kids are all now certified recycling cops and will hold you accountable! After that my friend Dr. Michael Caterino of the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History visited us, and we went sweeping for insects. The kids really enjoyed being able to tear apart old oak logs in search of larvae and termites.

The trees of the field will clap their hands. (Isaiah 55:12)
On day three we set out on our native plant walk. After touching, smelling and even tasting a few of the plants along the trail we came back to the farm for a snack and a time with Tima who shared with us how the Chumash of Santa Barbara used the native plants. She brought along several baskets, a bow, and many toys made from plants in our area. She even got us up singing and dancing a couple traditional songs. We finished the day planting pumpkins for a fall harvest party, beans to take home, and working in the field to help the tomatoes with Farmer Emiko.

...not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your father knowing it. (Matt. 10:29)
On day four of our camps Mark Holmgren led us on a bird walk through the San Marcos Foothills Preserve Park. Seeing our resident pair of White Tailed Kites each week was a highlight. After that we spent an hour with Max the Great Horned Owl and Kachina the American Kestrel presented by the Santa Barbara Audubon Society’s Eyes in the Sky program with Gabriele Drozdowski and Sarah Jane Robertson. It made it extra special in that while we were out hiking one week we found a feather from a Great Horned Owl and a feather from and American Kestrel.

But ask the animals what they think—let them teach you; let the birds tell you what's going on. Put your ear to the earth—learn the basics. Listen—the fish in the ocean will tell you their stories. Isn't it clear that they all know and agree that God is sovereign, that he holds all things in his hand… (Job 12:7-9)
For the older kids there was a marine ecology day at Arroyo Burro Beach for the last day of camp. We played Erosion Explosion and gathered data for a Pacific Mole Crab study for NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries. Alicia Cordero ended our day with an amazing snack at the beach of Chumash treats: acorn mash, seaweed, salmon, Chia treats, and fry bread with nectar. Incredible!

He counts the stars and calls them all by name. (Psalm 147:7)
We also held an evening event that brought everybody out from the three weeks of camp for some astronomical fun, a night hike, a slide show, and desserts. The Santa Barbara Astronomical Unit were on hand to help us see Saturn, rings and all, as well as share pieces of meteorite and starry tales. The hike felt a bit like a 60-person-long-pied-piper-serpentine up and around the botany trail. Lots of smiles. A few of us even got to see the night-only blooming native Soap Bulb in full bloom.

Sixty kids + 45 families + a dozen volunteers + an incredible site = Fun!

Interns ~ Summer 2011

We are so fortunate to have three incredible interns with us this summer. Before I introduce them to you, it might be helpful to know just what an internship looks like. Emiko and I see internships as a way to train future leaders; it is an educational experience. As such Emiko has put together a curriculum for her sustainable agriculture interns that includes readings, sight visits to other related programs, discussions, hands-on practice and of course incredible meals together. There are three areas of focus that interns can chose from here at Santa Barbara A Rocha: sustainable agriculture, environmental education, and conservation. Interns are volunteers with a longer-term investment and time commitment than our typical volunteers. It is an unpaid experience and at this time requires interns to find their own housing. They are a special group.

And here they are…

Debra Warren is from Mount Pleasant, Michigan and is studying dietetics at Central Michigan University. She came to learn about Environmental Education and was with us for three weeks this summer. She helped run our three weeks of Creation Care Camp and worked with Emiko in the afternoons to learn about sustainable agriculture.

Kayla Burkett also hales from Mount Pleasant, Michigan and is a recent graduate of Westmont College, Santa Barbara. She has volunteered at the farm in the past and will be with us for about three months. Kayla plans to use her newly gained sustainable agriculture knowledge and experience in the near future when she returns to northern Uganda to help with a farming project connected to Sports Outreach.

Anthony “Wally” Waldrop is from Bakersfield, California and is also a recent Westmont College graduate. While at Westmont Anthony gave leadership to the campus A Rocha student chapter. He helped spearhead several activities and events there. He is also interning in sustainable agriculture and will be with us at least through the end of summer.