Our Community Agriculture Program is designed to increase agricultural production on the island, while encouraging sustainable cultivation practices. The elements of our Community Agriculture Program fall into one of two categories: expanding production of local food, and expanding the market for local food through support for promotion and distribution, and through community education.

Expanding production of local food

Currently:

• SN is “growing” new farmers through an agricultural internship program that we began last year where the interns work with the growers in the field and learn aspects of the business of farming by vending at the Market.
• “Growing” new backyard growers and food producers through our series of classes and workshops on four-season gardening, growing for the Market, meeting Health Department requirements in order to create value-added food for the Market, composting, four-season gardening, etc.

In development:

• Establishment of a land-lease program and integration with the agricultural internship program.
• Developing a “Slow Money Fund” for Nantucket to make low-interest loans to local growers and food providers.

Future:

• We will be working with Martha’s Vineyard’s Island Grown Initiative and our State Health Department to help us develop mobile processing units for poultry and four legged animals, for shared use by stakeholders.
• Developing a community commercial kitchen & processing facility to assist in creating value added products.

Expanding the market for local food

Currently:

• We have established and continue to operate the The Sustainable Nantucket Farmers & Artisans Market. Held on Saturdays, from June through October in downtown Nantucket, the Market provides a venue for island growers, food producers and artisans to raise their profile, sell their wares and connect with the community. The Market is steadily growing in popularity and diversity of product and averages around 2200 visitors per week.
• Bringing local food into our schools – our young Farm to School Initiative has already had success in establishing relationships between the Public Schools’ Food Services Department and local growers and in expanding awareness by educating young people and their families about the importance of eating fresh, local food.
• We recently held our first Restaurant/Grower Workshop to identify areas in which Sustainable Nantucket can help facilitate an expansion of the restaurant market for local growers and increase the amount of food sourced locally.
• Raising awareness and educating our community about the importance of consuming local food though our Film Series, Locally Grown Dinner Series and other outreach and education efforts.

In the future

• Offering an Agricultural Summer Program for Children  – “Growing Young Gardeners” – in 2011.
• Expanding the number of days per week in which we hold our Farmers & Artisans Market.
• Expanding our Farm to School effort to include the hospital, and other large establishments such as our nursing home
• Facilitating the creation of a cooperative pick-up and delivery system for grower to restaurant