Vital VOICE dedicates this issue to our Non-profit of the month
EarthDance is dedicated to preserving small farms while nurturing a community of growers and conscious consumers. Since 2009, EarthDance has operated a season-long educational apprenticeship program which trains participants in sustainable agriculture from seed to market and has worked to educate community members on the importance of being connected to the places that grow the food we eat. EarthDance’s farm-based educational programs and Community Supported Agriculture memberships provide the opportunity for Saint Louis area residents to connect with the source of their food. The EarthDance Fresh Ideas Agri(Cultural) Education series, Educators Learning Circle, and farm tours for groups of all ages provide Saint Louisans the opportunity to explore and learn from a vibrantly productive organic farm and become a part of the good food movement. EarthDance was founded in 2008 By Molly Rockamann, a young environmental activist/ community organizer. After promoting the organic agriculture movement in Fiji and Ghana, Rockamann returned to St. Louis, her home town. She saw a need to preserve small farms, and for more organic farmers to keep farms in production. She found a place to realize her goals on the historic Mueller farm in Ferguson, MO. Just north of the city of St. Louis, the Mueller family farm has been a hub of natural farming for over 100 years. In the spring of 2008, the Mueller Farm became the birthplace of EarthDance. Since 2009, through its Organic Farming Apprenticeship program, EarthDance has grown more local, organic food and farmers for the St. Louis region. 2011 marks the first year of EarthDance’s public CSA program. EarthDance has grown substantially each year, while our graduates have gone on to start their own farm enterprises and community food projects. With the support of its fiscal sponsor, The Open Space Council, EarthDance is a 501C3 nonprofit organization. Contributions to EarthDance are tax deductable. On Saturday, July 16th, join EarthDance at The Ferguson Farmers Market for Pesto Festo, a community celebration of local FARMS--Food, Art, Relationships, & Music...Sustainably!. Attendees will be able to savor the basil season by participating in a pesto cooking contest. Additionally, the day’s events will feature a yoga class, a raw foods cooking demonstration, a community art project, a performance from the Folk School, and a variety of vendors and educational booths promoting environmental stewardship. EarthDance Offers: • Part-time Organic Farming Apprenticeships • Fresh, Unique Locally-grown Produce • Community Supported Agriculture • Volunteer Opportunities • Youth Programs • Farm Tours • Artist-In-Residence Program • Fresh Ideas Agri(Cultural) Education Series. • Special Events, like Pesto Festo and EarthDance Mission Awards. 34 | July, 2011
For local FARMS, Rachel Levi Farm & Community Education Coordinator, EarthDance www.earthdancefarms.org office 314.521.1006. cell 773-398-6515 rachel@earthdancefarms.org
The mission of EarthDance is to grow and inspire local FARMS - Food, Art, Relationships, & Music, Sustainably!