Sunflower Farm Acres
Sunflower Farm Acres in Boulder, Colorado, was recently awarded a Zero Foodprint Restore Grant to apply compost on their new production farm.
Photo courtesy of Sunflower Farm Acres
Compost Transforms the Land
Sunflower Farm operated in Longmont, CO, for more than 15 years before its official designation as an Educational Demonstration farm in 2015. Known for its youth programs and hands-on learning opportunities, the farm has welcomed countless students and families into its gardens, pastures, and orchards in the past two decads. This season, the farm team announced an expansion in operations to produce fresh fruits and vegetables in their local community through their new project, Sunflower Farm Acres. Thanks in part to Zero Foodprint’s Restore Grant, they were able to quickly transform soil quality on the land just in time to launch their first CSA program in 2024.
According to Operations Manager Jacob McGuire, the soil’s low organic matter and compaction created major barriers to crop production. With the addition of compost purchased with their Restore Grant award, they’ve not only added nutrients to the ground, but transformed the clay into fertile soil, growing big and healthy plants. ”We’re trying to work with partners on improving the land, increasing biodiversity, stopping soil erosion, and being more thoughtful about our water use,” says McGuire. ”No exaggeration. We literally would not be able to do what we're doing without that restore grant.”
This season, Sunflower Farm Acres is growing lettuces, spinach, chard, kale, carrots, peas, beans, beets, cucumbers, potatoes, tomatoes, zucchini, summer & winter squashes, pumpkins, gourds, and melons, in addition to their peach, apple, pear, and plum trees.
”No exaggeration. We literally would not be able to be doing what we're doing without that Restore Grant.”
-Jacob McGuire, Operations Manager
Photo courtesy of Sunflower Farm Acres
About Sunflower Farm Acres
“Sunflower Farm is an educational demonstration farm in rural Southwest Longmont. After many years of dreaming and planning, we are excited to finally start moving forward with production farming. With this endeavor, we not only want to help feed the local community, but also in the process help to regenerate the sacred and beautiful land at Sunflower Farm.
Sunflower Farm Acres grows market garden vegetables, including: lettuces, spinach, chard, kale, carrots, peas, beans, beets, cucumbers, potatoes, tomatoes, zucchini, summer & winter squashes, pumpkins, gourds, melons and more. We also have over one-hundred peach, apple, pear and plum trees, sunflowers, and approximately twenty-three acres of grazing/pasture land.”
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Zero Foodprint awards grants for projects that take carbon out of the atmosphere and put it back where it belongs: in the earth, creating healthy soil and better food. To do this, we focus on regenerative farming practices like composting, cover cropping, and managed grazing that can restore life to our soil while removing carbon from the atmosphere. Together, we have the power to grow more nutritious food, heal natural water cycles, and create habitat for biodiversity to thrive. Explore previously funded projects to see what this might look like on your farm.
For more information, read through other Restore Grant FAQs.
Photo courtesy of Sunflower Farm Acres
Zero Foodprint (ZFP) is a nonprofit organization restoring the climate, one acre at a time. We believe that by regenerating soil, local food economies can play a critical role in reversing the global climate crisis. We work with food and beverage businesses, philanthropy, and government to bring the next dollar to implement the next regenerative practice on the next acre. This regenerative economy benefits every person who grows food, every person who sells food, and every person on this planet who eats food.
