Current Projects
Adult Farming School
We are excited to share a new initiative by the Sand n Straw Foundation: Adult Farming School aimed at empowering adults in need
Our vision is to create a supportive environment where adults can acquire practical farming skills in regenerative agriculture, and enhance their ability to cultivate their own food. This program will offer hands-on training in various aspects of farming, including soil health, crop rotation, regenerative aorganic farming and permaculture techniques, and much more, all within the nurturing setting of our community farm.
To bring this vision to life, we need your support. Your generous contribution will help us:
- Purchase necessary farming tools and equipment
- Provide scholarships for participants
- Cover operational costs to ensure the program's sustainability
By supporting the Adult Farming School, you will be making a significant impact on the lives of adults in need in our community, providing them with the skills and confidence needed to achieve food security and self-sufficiency.
Youth Farming School
Vista, California
The Sand n Straw Foundation offers scholarships for children to attend the Young Pioneers program at Sand n Straw Community Farm. Young Pioneers is an outdoor nature school where children engage in hands-on learning on a six-acre family farm. Here, they explore ponds, gardens, and trails teeming with native plants and pollinator-attracting flowers, as well as various food crops. Through these activities, children gain a deeper understanding of nature's cycles and the interconnectedness of the natural world.
In the 2021-2022 school year we were able to financially provide for 10 families
in the 2022-2023 school year we were able to financially provide for 14 families
in the 2023-2024 school year we were able to financially provide for 16 families
Funds will go towards…
Play Structure
Help us bring joy and growth to our children by donating towards a new play structure! This space will do more than just entertain—it will foster gross motor skill development, inspire imaginative play, and create a vibrant environment for social interaction and teamwork. Your support can make this enriching experience possible!
Educational Opportunities
With your help, we can continue to grow our science program and provide engaging learning experiences that are accessible to all. The cost of equipment and essential materials has significantly increased, making your support more important than ever.
Our New Music Classroom
Beyond science, we envision a vibrant music classroom filled with instruments, rhythms, and songs where children of all abilities can explore their creativity and connect through the universal language of music. But to fully equip this space, we need your help.
Farm Accessibility
Our goal is to acquire a 6-person cart to safely transport students and adults with mobility challenges around the farm, ensuring everyone can fully participate in and enjoy the experiences we offer. Together, we can make our farm accessible to all!
Past Projects
SAVING COUPLE BERRY FARMS
In 2018, we were able to save an almost one hundred year old family farm in Vista, California with your help! The Farm was able to re-open the Farm to the community in July of 2019. They now have a full Farm Stand on Wednesdays and Saturdays, a thriving CSA program, events such as Cooking Classes, Farm to Table Dinners, Farm Tours, a Children’s outdoor education program and so much more.
Thank you for helping save Couple Berry Farms!
Chicken Project For Uganda
The Story
From Laurie Gift Harris of AOET USA:
“I am writing to you today to let you know about a special project I am working on. This is not through my organization, but it's personal and dear to my heart.
I have a dear friend, Margaret, who is about my age with whom I have been personally helping to fund a start up chicken project with. Today, I got to see the progress and it's super exciting!
Due to her age, we have been talking about her future and ways to make a sustainable living for herself. There is no social security in Uganda which means that once she is unable to work, there will be no income for her. She is a single woman whose husband died many years ago of aids. Because of the Ugandan culture, not only has she provided for her own children, but she has taken on many orphans over the years and continues to do so. She is currently supporting 10 children and grandchildren.”
With all your help, Margaret was able to build her incubator for her new baby chicks!
Thank you for your support!