WHAT WE DO
New Roots Community Farm is a leading a collaborative multi-farm movement to build a more just and diverse agricultural system for the New River Gorge region. We hope to increase the number and viability of local farms through a robust land access and tenure program in partnership with the Agrarian Commons. Through market development work with Turnrow Appalachian Farm Collective, farmers are ensured to have stable and informed local markets. New Roots grows a diversity in vegetables and also provides demonstrations and training for farmers while supporting to grow retail and wholesale markets for farmers to sell their products.
BUILDING a COMMUNITY FOOD SYSTEM
What is a food system?
‘Food System’ refers to all of the means by which food is produced and acquired. A food system includes production, processing, distribution, and consumption. It intersects with state programs, various types of markets, charitable programs, as well as forms of self-provisioning. Everyone is connected to the food system, and for some folks, this system is unjust, inadequate, and insufficient in comparison to our societal expectations. These parts of the food system, and the access to them, are all influenced by political, environmental, economic, and social conditions.
In Fayette County, 44% of private land is held by landholding companies. While there are 71 food retailers in the county, only one of them is a big box store, and less than 10 offer a variety of perishable food. While that means there is one store with perishable food for every 4,240 people in Fayette County, these stores are not evenly spread across the county. Over 8,500 Fayette Countians receive SNAP benefits monthly, most of which is not spent locally. There are at least 18 charitable food programs in the county.
Our Philosophy
We want to build a community food system that supports farmers, protects land and natural resources, and distributes food equitably in our community. At New Roots Community Farm, we have three primary focuses as we strive to create a more equitable food system: Market Access, Land Access, and Food Access. We aim to expand access to markets for both producers and consumers. We aim to build sustained bridges between farmers and farm land. We aim to get fresh, local food into the hands of people who need it most. Learn more about how.
MARKET ACCESS
Turnrow is a collective of individuals and organizations working together to implement food hub operations across central Appalachia. “We believe that in order to improve the health of our communities and redefine Appalachia’s economy, we must return to the grower heritage and food traditions that helped form this region. To do that, we are building a system that connects Appalachian homegrown food with folks from near and far. This means more income for farmers, more agricultural jobs, and a healthier food system.”.
West Virginia's Online Farmer’s Market/Food Hub gives customers access to locally grown food from producers across the state. You can shop the marketplace and purchase a variety of products while your order will be delivered to one of our convenient pick-up locations. These locations include Charleston, Fayetteville, Lewisburg, Talcott, Greenville & Huntington.
LAND ACCESS
Agrarian Trust, a national 501c3 agriculture land trust, is creating community-centered land holding commons (501c2 Agrarian Commons) to provide long-term lease tenure for chemical-free, regenerative, diversified agriculture that produces food for the surrounding community. This land holding model creates shared land stewardship through investment in pollinator habitats, soil fertility, ecosystem diversification and protection, farm viability, community food security, and agrarian engagements.
FOOD ACCESS
Our goal is to develop a local food system that is equitable to all populations. For us, this means increasing the availability of fresh, local goods to underserved demographics. We are doing this by increasing SNAP access, hosting pop-up markets, expanding our community garden, organizing educational programs, supporting Turnrow, and hosting farm visits and tours.
