In Panorama City, a nonprofit urban farm is making a significant impact on local youth and the community. Black Thumb Farm, occupying a modest one-eighth of an acre near Roscoe Avenue, cultivates a variety of vegetables, including squash, lettuce, and broccoli. The farm not only produces fresh food but also trains high school students in sustainable agriculture practices, from soil management to composting.
The farm’s unique educational program allows students to take home the food they grow. Ethereal Quintero, a board member of Black Thumb Farm, highlights the importance of this initiative, stating, “They get to take the food that they grow.” This hands-on experience empowers young people while fostering a connection to their food sources.
Community Engagement and Future Growth
Black Thumb Farm has established strong partnerships with local high schools, employing students during the summer to maintain the crops sold at the farm’s public stand. Quintero remarked on the farm’s success, saying, “We’re reaping a lot of produce. It’s a really potent project.” In 2023, the farm donated over 1,000 pounds of produce to those in need, further underscoring its commitment to community service.
As the farm prepares for its five-year anniversary fundraiser in late November, plans are underway to relocate to a larger site in Mission Hills. This new location will provide 2.3 acres for expansion and a permanent home for the nonprofit. Alexys Romo, the farm’s executive director and founder, expressed excitement about the move, stating, “The new farm is a blank space and an opportunity to design and grow in a way that works for our organization and growing community.”
Shaping a Sustainable Future
The farm’s mission extends beyond agriculture; it aims to create a sustainable future for BIPOC youth. Esmeralda Gonzalez, a fellow with the California Climate Action Corps, emphasized the goal of shaping a better world through the farm’s initiatives. She said, “Moving forward and into the future, we are shaping the world we want to see.”
Quintero reflected on his own journey, noting that he built a school garden at Sharp Avenue Elementary in Arleta when he was a child. “Now I’m helping support the permanent establishment of Black Thumb Farm just a few miles away, also on Sharp Avenue. Seeing these efforts grow in the same community that raised me feels like planting seeds for the next generation that I never had access to.”
As Black Thumb Farm continues to cultivate both crops and future leaders, its impact on the community of Panorama City demonstrates the power of urban agriculture in fostering education, sustainability, and community engagement. The upcoming fundraiser aims to support these initiatives and ensure the farm’s growth in the years to come.
