Help SustainFloyd to Plant a Seed

Dear Friends,

SustainFloyd is working to leverage and preserve Floyd County’s existing assets and traditional strengths in agriculture and craftsmanship to help build a resilient rural local economy.

Our efforts now need your support. Your tax-deductible contribution gives you a direct connection to a groundswell of local artists, farmers, school kids and underserved residents who benefit from our programs. Your support is an investment in creating and developing systems to link local farmers and artists with the emerging regional customer base in ways that will benefit Floyd County.

Take a look at what we’ve done since 2009:

_FBF8684marketveggies240The Floyd Farmers Market has grown by leaps and bounds, and our SNAP Double-Value Coupon programhelps make healthy food available for low-income families. Our Mobile Farmers Market brings local food to people in their own neighborhoods. The SustainFloyd truck provides our clients with an affordable way to transport and deliver their products. Our Farm to School program brings locally grown food to the cafeteria at Indian Valley Elementary School, and this fall it will expand to include all four county elementary schools.

Our free workshop on our “pocket farm” model attracted more than 160 people, and more than 50 people subsequently filled the related, 6-week class to capacity. We hope to see at least a few of those go into farming full-time; others may not use the full model but will apply the lessons to produce  off their land, all plugging into the regional markets we are creating. Both groups will help diversify the county’s agricultural base and keep more wealth at home, here in Floyd County. Meanwhile, we’re ground-testing the Pocket Farm template on our own working model farm, which we’re calling Blue Valley Organic.

Linda Osborne demonstrates her craft to young learners on the Floyd Artisan Trail Tour. Photo by Colleen Redman.
Linda Osborne demonstrates her craft to young learners on the Floyd Artisan Trail Tour. Photo by Colleen Redman.
Our Artisans Market and Floyd Artisan Trail Tour continue to grow and provide more opportunities to boost Floyd County’s renowned creative economy, allowing artists to sell here, not just in distant places. Our Film Series showcased four films this spring, all of which were followed by community discussions furthering our goal of fostering constructive dialogue on important issues while allowing space for community to happen.

We have two highly-energetic and qualified full-time staff diligently working each day toward keeping Floyd rural yet prosperous, preserving what we hold precious about our home before other, outside forces make these decisions for us. They bring the sweat equity to our programs

For that work to continue, however, we need your support. We invite you to be an essential part of this effort by nurturing our efforts in these early phases.

If you agree with this vision, please consider joining SustainFloyd as a member. If you’re already a member, please make a donation or become a Pledge Donor with a monthly contribution that will help support us year-round. We also want your ideas and feedback. Contact us at mailto:info@sustainfloyd.org.

We’re inspired by the support from our members, friends, volunteers and partners in the Floyd community and beyond. We’re a community-based organization, and your assistance makes our work possible.

Sincerely,

SustainFloyd Board of Directors

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