Read Nancy's Story
How this family discovered a new and rewarding connection with food and community
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Yeah along with the healthy options it was more food education.
Because it would always be the same boring food so you know, after the first visit and speaking with April and the staff that helped out at the farm
We learned how to use other things that we have like other produce, products, that we never used before.
Like we've never use fennel and we started using that.
We've never used rhubarb and we started using that was just different products
that they offer that we were like okay you know if you give us a recipe we'll try it out.
And then as well it was.
It's been a lot of help especially with the economy and a growing family.
Welcome to Community Voices
Uplifting stories that showcase the unique and joyful experiences of our community within Farm to Heart (and beyond). Read on to discover how we partner with our members to co-create a food system that nurtures, reduces waste, and builds a thriving community.
Meet Nancy Rosales-Moncada and her family
Background
Before joining the Farm To Heart initiative, Nancy and her family were already trying to change their eating habits by adding more fresh produce and healthy foods into their meals.
And they are in good company, as 92% of Americans try to include more vegetables and 91% of fruits into their diets¹.
But like many busy families, they would find themselves struggling to eat all of the fresh produce and foods before those items reached the end of their shelf life.
Eager to reduce food waste and save money, Nancy explored doing things a little differently.
She was first introduced to Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs when she attended a local farm event with a friend.
Like many others, this program provided fresh farm foods every month once you registered for the entire year.
Though the program seemed exciting and might align with their goal to incorporate more fresh produce and food, the upfront cost of over $2500 wasn't accessible, and they ultimately did not join.
Access for some, not many
The average CSA program generally is a good fit for folks looking to consume more fresh farm goods from local producers.
Plus, paying farmers upfront for their goods, i.e., buying shares increases cash flow and can make their livelihoods more secure and sustainable.
But as Nancy's family experienced, some CSAs are not inexpensive.
Being charged an upfront flat fee is only an option for some.
While the price does cover the costs for the whole year, coming up with such a large amount is only feasible for some people.
Though many CSAs strive to build community, in practice, there are far fewer opportunities for personal interactions, which can reduce many exchanges to a food drop-off/pick-up service².
Fewer opportunities for building connections can distance CSA members from the whole process.
For people to take on such a significant investment, with little choice in what they receive and little to no community aspect, is far too big of an ask.
Following the local farm event they attended, Nancy and her family were still open to trying a CSA but needed an option that prioritized affordability and community connection.
An opportunity
A year or so later, Nancy's daughter heard about a fantastic opportunity from her classmates that would allow them to access fresh farm foods—affordably.
Once they learned more about Farm to Heart, they decided to try it as a family.
"She had heard about it from classmates, and so she's like, oh, we should try it, and they offered it to us, so [...] we've been glad that we were offered the opportunity."
Though the first Community Supported Agriculture program (CSA) wasn't a good fit, the F2H Initiative would quickly prove itself to be the right fit for them.
Accessible community-based-support
Farm to Heart launched as a partnership with the Fruit Valley community to connect families with no-cost food.
Nancy and her family were selected and enrolled through our partner Family-Community Resource Centers (FCRCs).
Once Nancy and her family joined the initiative, they received a weekly email where they'd select what they'd like for the week based on what was in season and available.
At Farm to Heart, we prioritize empowered choice, which is something Nancy and her family have come to appreciate:
"The variety of produce that is provided to us and it changes throughout the year, changes with every season. So we're not always stuck to the same options every week; it changes. And so I think that's really nice that we're able to try out more vegetables, fruits, and everything that they provide. They also partner up with local farms, I would say, they sometimes provide farm fresh eggs or other items that they don't specifically grow at their farm*. They connect with other farms, and they're able to provide some of that stuff to us sometimes."
We believe in connecting people with the tools to shape their food systems through options—not just what's left behind.
In our initiative, we strive to make each year better and regularly gather feedback directly from our members and other partners.
"They are always wanting to know any suggestions, everything, so we feel like we're also important to them because they always want to look, you know, for recommendations, suggestions that we may have, how can they improve, you know, what can they change for us. So they've been great in that aspect as well."
Creating nourishing futures
Since joining the Farm to Heart initiative in 2019, Nancy and her family feel more connected to their community and have gained an even more profound respect for local farmers and our partners.
They’re even more dedicated than before and are continually excited to discover new ways of using, preserving, and extending the life of everything they receive.
-
Yeah along with the healthy options it was more food education.
Because it would always be the same boring food so you know, after the first visit and speaking with April and the staff that helped out at the farm
We learned how to use other things that we have like other produce, products, that we never used before.
Like we've never use fennel and we started using that.
We've never used rhubarb and we started using that was just different products that they offer that we were like okay you know if you give us a recipe we'll try it out.
And then as well it was.
It's been a lot of help especially with the economy and a growing family.
While they have always been a family that meal preps, they're doing it even better by reducing waste and adding new ways to prepare fresh foods.
"[Meal prepping is] It's more tight since joining the program. Yeah, I mean getting to meet the farmers and you know, the people that help out there. We make it a priority to not waste the produce. So we're like, okay, we chose this for this week. This is what we're gonna make so that we make sure that we use it all or most of it. And then, whatever we can't do, we sometimes freeze. Or like the rhubarb we've used for, you know, other meals. But [if] we have leftovers, we make a strawberry sorbet from the farmers, from them that could be used for dessert."
Nancy's daughters, including Mia, already like to cook. Now even they are even more involved because they help choose what produce the whole family gets each week.
As Mia says, “What I think is important for kids to know about Farm to Heart is where their food is coming from. Because you put a lot of things in your body everyday and it’s good to know where they come from and what you’re eating.”
With Farm to Heart, the initiative, along with their families, is helping nurture the next generation to build their future cooking skills and healthy habits.
As one of the original families who joined, Nancy and her family have helped co-create this program and contribute to our continued success.
Thank you, Nancy and your wonderful family, for sharing your story with us!
*Farm to Heart shares include eggs from April Joy Farm.
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