Why Farm to Paper?
Santa Barbara County has a rich history of farm and ranches.
Summerland is a “food desert”—devoid of fresh food for citizens to purchase.
During the Montecito and Carpinteria debris flow in January 2018, Summerland was cut off from the North and South bound 101 freeways. The small town documented cases of physical fighting over food at the local liquor store. Hearing the personal story of a young mother with three children fighting for the last stale sandwich was a call to action. Sweet Wheel Farms was born. We immediately solved the food desert by farming locally and starting a “farmer’s market cart.” Then came the bad news: the piece of property we rented and farmed on was being sold to be developed. Local citizens, the Santa Barbara Agriculture and Farm Education Foundation, endorsed by farm-based advocates like Kiss the Ground and Santa Barbara Permaculture came together to save the land. The farm purchase was financed in part by a grant from the Manitou Fund. We are still fundraising to pay off the land and build out a purposeful community farm.
Our mission for local and global food security is more than just talk. Every week we distribute healthy, pesticide-free groceries to food insecure residents (whether medically or financially insecure) in Summerland, Carpinteria and Santa Barbara. We are essentially Summerland’s Food Bank. Last year, we dove into local veteran health and made 1800 free meals and served them from the SB Veterans Memorial building.
Our farm goals include innovative water systems like Warka Towers and solar powered bicycle paths. While we strive to be the most innovative community farm, we recognize that we need more financing to do so.
We invite you to take part in the growing farm. Take a class in farming or beekeeping with us. Experience food grown regeneratively without pesticides. Please support our community farms! Thank you!
SBAFE Foundation Mission Statement: To educate, promote and increase awareness on how our food is grown, propagated and distributed to minors, underserved, unrecognized and fragile populations particularly in the food desert areas of Santa Barbara County. To donate to those in need supporting individuals and other charitable organizations with natural and organic farmed products. Our mission is strictly educational and charitable.