Kids’ Food Basket breaks ground on a new farm in Ottawa County. The goal is for produce to go directly back into the community, helping increase access to healthy food for residents in Ottawa and Allegan counties.
“The ripples of good healthy food are infinite. Good food is the foundation of good health, and good health is the foundation of a good future.”
Bridgette Clark Whitney is the President and Founding CEO of Kids’ Food Basket. And on Tuesday they broke ground on a ten-acre, sustainable, chemical free farmland in Ottawa County.
“This is farm space that will allow us to grow healthy, nourishing produce to be distributed out into the community, also to provide an education space so our children in Allegan and Ottawa Counties, can experience where food comes from and why that’s important and have hands on learning experiences where they can work on learning to grow their own food.”
The farm is a shared property in partnership with Ridge Point Community Church in Holland. KFB plans to use the land to increase food provision and expand its Grow commitment.
“When we’re growing food on this farm, the healthy produce that we grow, for instance, sugar snap peas, cherry tomatoes, all of that goes into our healthy sack suppers as well as family food boxes and much of the produce will go out to our distribution partners.”
The Kids’ Food Basket Farm – Ottawa & Allegan counties is scheduled to reach full, growing capacity by 2023. It will feature crops such as green beans, sugar snaps peas and watermelons. The farmland will also be the location of a learning barn and a year-round greenhouse to extend growing season and education opportunities. Clark Whitney says they are in the process of fundraising for the barn and greenhouse.
This new acquisition will be the second farm location for Kids’ Food Basket. In 2017, KFB obtained the last remaining urban farmland in Kent County.
If you’re interested in any aspect of Kids Food Basket, from the farm to volunteering you can find out more at kidsfoodbasket.org you can also find them on Facebook and other social media sites.
