Farm & Food Conference in Kansas City
If you ask someone from Kansas City what the vibe of Kansas City is, most likely they will say something about it feeling like a little big city. We have things to do, we have exciting new events and restaurants, and our skyline is forever growing. However, we have something that the bigger cities don’t always have- the warmest sense of community.
The Fall Farm and Food Conference was no exception to this warm-hearted community feel we are so lucky to have in Kansas City. We started the day at KC Farm School with warm pumpkin bread, fresh coffee, and the farm school’s director Lydia Nebel, who gave us a tour of the land. Lydia and the school's focus is on community rather than profits, as they operate as a non-profit with a Pay-As-You're-Able scale. The school's main philosophy is that access to safe, nutritious food is a human right.
We continued on to four other farms: Ki Koko Farms, Urbavore, Young Family Farm, and Woodland City KC. Each farm had something unique to offer, ranging from planting styles to safety measures to the organization of the crops. Farmers in attendance had the chance to ask questions and get suggestions for their own crops.
Brooke Salvaggio and Daniel Heryer are the owners of Urbavore, an energy-independent farm. Brooke and Daniel not only harvest dozens of crops, but they also raise chickens and pigs, as well as run a fully operational compost system that Kansas Citians can take advantage of. The passion that Brooke and Daniel have for sustainability and ecology was energizing and motivating. Brooke says that as a farmer, you have to go through the motions even if you feel like it's not going to work, with the hope that maybe it will. So far, this ideology seems to serve them, as they have kept their 13.5-acre farm running and growing for over a decade.
Neil Rudisill's secret to farm success is precision and organization, with emphasis on cleanliness and safety. Neil and his partner Lisa first moved to the Ivanhoe Neighborhood in 2010, with the intention of having a small garden beside their home as a hobby. This marginal hobby quickly grew into a career, and today is a fully operational half acre micro farm, known as Woodland City KC. The farm is set up to be easily managed by one person, and Neil was more than happy to share all of his methods to achieve this manageability. From irrigation to how he prepares his veggies for market, Neil had a method and explanation for every part of his process.
Like Neil, the Young family never intended to make a business out of farming. Alan and Yolanda moved to the Ivanhoe neighborhood in 1987, thinking they wouldn't stay long. Back then, the neighborhood was notorious for gang-related activity and illegal dumping, something Alan and Yolanda didn't realize until moving in. Being the "See a need, fill a need" people they are, the couple decided they wanted to make a difference in the neighborhood. They began growing their own vegetables in the backyard in hopes of creating a better sense of community. A few years later, they had an opportunity to buy a lot of land next to their home that had been used as a dumpsite for years. They seized the moment and officially established Young Family Farm in 1999. Yolanda humbly says that she just likes to play in the dirt, but as one of the founders of the Ivanhoe Neighborhood Council and a Missouri State Representative, she knows all about strengthening her community. Today, the farm and market are run on site by Alan, Yolanda, their children and their grandchildren, most of which also live in the Ivanhoe neighborhood.
Pay Lay has been farming for over 20 years. She moved to Kansas City in 2007 and began Ki Koko Farms (which means 'two sisters' in her native language) with her sister, Beh Paw. Both Pay Lay and Beh Paw were in refugee camps in Thailand before making it to the US, but originally hail from Burma. Although Pay Lay came to Kansas City with a lot of experience already, she told us that she took advantage of the New Roots for Refugees program to get her start farming in the US. New Roots is a four year training program created to provide farmer training and market support to help refugees start and maintain their own small businesses. Pay Lay and Beh Paw own 2.5 acres of land and sell their Burmese and American vegetables at farmer's markets in Overland Park and Brookside.
If you are already a farmer, want to be a farmer, or are simply interested in getting involved in your community, farming is an amazing way to do so. Local KC farmers such as these are more than happy to help you succeed. For more information on the farmers featured in this article and in the conference, please contact the Kansas Farmer’s Union.
