In 2019, the national food insecurity rate was the lowest it had been in 20 years, according to Feeding America. When COVID-19 hit the U.S., the economic recession that followed put an abrupt end to years of those declining numbers. Now, many of the people who were food insecure before COVID-19 are facing even greater hardships, and even more people are hungry. Even after COVID-19 is well behind us, economists predict that it will take quite some time – and resources – for food insecurity levels to recover.
Colorado realtors 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 with big water rights on the edge of Boulder, CO.
Long champions of local and national charities, Catherine and Andy saw an opportunity for the historic 80-acre McKenzie Farm that they represent to grow local produce while on the market. The McKenzies readily agreed to charitable use of their land in both 2020 and 2021.
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.
Burgess Group | Compass is providing a substantial donation to Community Food Share, to support hiring a farmer to work McKenzie Farm. Community Food Share is also contributing financially to this project, managing the farmer and distributing produce. Boulder-based micro-farm project and public benefit corporation Boundless Landscapes is also sharing their valuable tools and non-profit Earth’s Table is mentoring Farmer Katie.
The Food Security Project plans to grow thousands of pounds of nutritious local produce this year. This food will be distributed through Community Food Share, whose volunteers will also maintain and harvest the fields alongside Farmer Katie.
The Food Security Project is a collaboration between Boulder-based real estate agents Catherine and Andy Burgess of Burgess Group | Compass, McKenzie Farm, Community Food Share, Boundless Landscapes, and Earth’s Table.
The Food Security Project’s 2021 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.
These particular crops were selected because of the results of a Community Food Share survey that measured interest in locally-grown produce, types of proteins, dietary needs, and traditional/cultural foods.
Burgess Group | Compass encourages everyone,
locally and nationally, to join The Food Security Project.
MICRO-FARMS
By starting your own pandemic victory gardens – anything from a 1’x8’ strip of dirt to a container garden to a 500 sf micro-farm, you will grow the most needed, elusive food category for food banks: fresh, nutritious local fruits and veggies.
DENVER METRO PARTICIPATION -
Donate your surplus produce to Community Foodshare by leaving your surplus produce on Community Food Share’s outdoor farm stand (located at 650 S. Taylor Avenue, Louisville, CO 80027) Mondays - Fridays, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
NATIONAL PARTICIPATION -
Find a local food bank to share your garden surplus using the non-profit Feeding America’s website.
MONETARY DONATION
If you have no yard or patio, consider making a monetary donation. A $1 gift provides $5 worth of groceries.
DENVER METRO PARTICIPATION -
Donate to the Community Food Share Food Security Project Fundraiser on the Food Security Project Fundraising Page here.
NATIONAL PARTICIPATION -
Donate to your own community by the non-profit Feeding America’s website.
VOLUNTEER TIME
DENVER METRO PARTICIPATION -
Folks can volunteer for The Food Security Project at McKenzie Farm (link coming soon!) through Community Food Share or for many other jobs within Community Food Share’s many-faceted organization.
Also, explore volunteering at Earth’s Table, an all-volunteer nonprofit community of concerned citizens working to eliminate hunger by maintaining seven garden sites.
NATIONAL PARTICIPATION -
Nationally, find your local food back through 501(c)(3) Feeding America’s website, to make produce and/or monetary donations.
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“If everyone contributes what they can, imagine what gains will be made fighting local and national pandemic hunger.”
- Burgess Group | Compass, The Food Security Project Co-Founder Catherine Burgess.
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 Food Security Project will farm this land (click here to learn more about the property) while this property is for sale.
Ever charitable toward their community, the McKenzies are gratified that their land is being used to #createfoodsecurity, in 2020 with Boundless Landscapes and in 2021 with Community Food Share.