Farm to Fork Field Trip: Feeding Crane Farms

As I mentioned last week, I'm currently enrolled in Anne Ditmeyer's Skillshare class, Map Design: Learn to Communicate Places Beautifully.My project is a map illustrating the route(s) food takes to get from farm to fork here in Sacramento, which is just one out of hundreds of projects posted by students from around the world.

I've been working to set up field trips in an effort to better understand the ins and outs of the farm to fork process. Yesterday, I was lucky enough to tour Feeding Crane Farms, which is located just a few miles north of the central city.

It was a beautiful day. Everyone on the team was happy to let me document the harvest and ask a ton of questions. I even had a chance to chat with General Manager Shannin Stein about the farm and the part they play in the farm to fork process.

Founded in 2011, Feeding Crane Farms has quickly become a respected source for fresh, organic produce among chefs and local foodies. The team supplies products to dozens of local restaurants and several grocery stores in the Sacramento area, they have a presence at farmers markets in the fall and summer months and will relaunch their Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program in the coming weeks.

According to Stein, the next several months will bring an increased focus on community partnerships, educational opportunities and events both on and off the farm. "Our goal is to really be viewed as Sacramento's farm," she said. "We are so close to town and have an opportunity to offer a place where people can come connect with farming."

Needless to say, I was very impressed by the attention to detail in their efforts to boost community engagement and cross-promotion with other small businesses. They're reaching out to unconventional partners to better serve neighborhoods in our area without much access to fresh produce and the team seems incredibly committed, not only to maintaining a sustainable business, but also to helping others do the same.

Keep your eye on Feeding Crane Farms, my friends. They're doing amazing work in the Sacramento area. If you want to learn more about the farm and get updates about future events, be sure to sign up for their newsletter on the homepage. You can also find them on Facebook here and follow them on Twitter here.

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As for my map project, I didn't get a chance to capture the delivery process to a local restaurant. However, I do know that some of that beautiful Red Russian Kale is being delivered to Corti Brothers, if any of my Sacramento friends are in the market for fresh, leafy greens.

I'm hoping to set up the restaurant portion of this field trip very soon. Stay tuned!

Your turn: Do you have a favorite small, urban farm in your community? Have you ever wondered how far your food has to travel to get to your plate?