News Release
For Immediate Release
Contact: Emily Tracy
ROOT Marketing & PR
919.449.4803
Digging Beyond Traditional Corporate Social Responsibility: The Food Security Project Transforms Fallow Land into Thousands of Pounds of Produce
Burgess Group | Compass Utilizes Farm Listing to Grow Food for Boulder and Beyond
BOULDER, Colo. (April 26, 2021) – Though the real estate market has been thriving during COVID-19, food security hit its lowest rate in 20 years during 2020, with over half a million Coloradoans expected to experience food insecurity this year. Boulder County realtors Catherine and Andy Burgess of Burgess Group | Compass recently launched The Food Security Project, using their listing of the historic 80-acre Mckenzie Farm to grow thousands of pounds of produce for Boulder and Broomfield counties in Colorado.
“Though people view Boulder and Broomfield counties as affluent, the reality is that more than 46,000 residents don’t have enough to eat, and 12% of those people are children,” said Catherine.
The Boulder realtors at Burgess Group | Compass have provided a substantial donation to non-profit Community Food Share food bank to support hiring a farmer, Katie Ketchum, to work McKenzie Farm. Community Food Share is also contributing financially to this project, as well as managing the farmer and distributing produce. Boulder-based public benefit corporation Boundless Landscapes, which advises on, builds and plants micro-farms, is sharing their valuable farm tools, while non-profit Earth’s Table is mentoring farmer Katie.
The Food Security Project’s growing calendar includes snow and snap peas, collards, kale, cauliflower and broccoli, bush beans, tomatoes, sweet peppers, hot peppers, cucumbers, summer squash, tomatillos and garlic. Produce will be harvested and distributed to those facing food insecurity from April through October.
Historic McKenzie Farm, located 2.5 miles from downtown Boulder, was founded in 1893 and is still owned today by one of Boulder’s founding families, the McKenzies. The farm has extraordinary senior water rights, natural wildlife habitat, 4,500 feet of lazy Four Mile Canyon Creek, views from Longs Peak to the Flatirons, a farmhouse, barn, greenhouse, produce cooling building, chicken coop, and more. The Food Security Project will utilize the barn, the produce cooling building, the greenhouse, water and land. The McKenzies are happy to have their farm help create food security this growing season.
The team of Boulder County realtors at Burgess Group | Compass is also encouraging people everywhere to do what they can to create food security by growing valuable fruits and veggies in their own pandemic victory gardens, whether it be a container garden, gardening a small strip of land, or a full micro-farm, then donate the surplus produce to their local community food bank or, if located near Boulder County, to Community Food Share. Boundless Landscapes will be offering vacation harvesting and handling donations for folks who will be away for portions of the summer, but don’t want their food to go to waste.
Folks can also donate money to their local food bank, and/or volunteer for organizations like Community Food Share and Earth’s Table, an organization that works to eliminate hunger by maintaining seven garden sites. Nationally, people can help in their own community by finding a local food bank here.
“If everyone contributes what they can, we could make a huge difference in the fight to eliminate local and national pandemic hunger,” said leading Boulder realtor Catherine Burgess.
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More about The Food Security Project
Boulder real estate agents Catherine and Andy Burgess of Burgess Group | Compass had been concerned about the growing problem of food insecurity in their own backyard and were looking for ways to help. Their thoughts quickly turned to McKenzie Farm, a historic farm on the edge of Boulder, Colo. In March 2021, Burgess Group | Compass and non-profit Community Food Share launched The Food Security Project, which will run from March until October 2021. The Food Security Project plans to grow thousands of pounds of nutritious produce this year. This food will be distributed through Community Food Share, whose volunteers will also maintain and harvest the fields alongside Farmer Katie Ketchum. Boundless Landscapes is sharing their valuable farm tools , while non-profit Earth’s Table is mentoring Katie.
For more information about the Food Security Project, visit The Food Security Project Media Page. For media information or interviews with Founders Catherine and/or Andy Burgess, contact Emily Tracy at 919.449.4803 or [email protected].
More about Burgess | Compass
Burgess Group | Compass Founders Catherine and Andy Burgess work with a full range of clients from first time home buyers to established investors. They have helped people buy and sell hundreds of homes throughout Boulder County and beyond. They have made their mark with a commitment to exceptional service, and a hyper-local market knowledge that helps people land in just the right neighborhood. The Burgess Group of the finest Boulder realtors is highly attentive, with active and consistent communication, delivering fast and profitable results.
More about Community Food Share
Community Food Share, celebrating its 40th year in 2021, is a nonprofit that fights hunger in Boulder and Broomfield counties by providing access to fresh, nutritious food through local partners and its onsite and mobile pantries. Community Food Share provides food directly to families, seniors, students, and others, and is also a hub that delivers millions of pounds of food a year to local food pantries to reach people in their communities.
