Grown Here at Home: Botetourt County farm raising money for food justice

BOTETOURT CO., Va. (WDBJ) - Folks at Thornfield Farm are wanting to help meet a serious need.

“We feel like there is just not enough access to local food, particularly in a lot of areas in Roanoke,” said Susanna Thornton, owner of Thornfield Farm.

They’re teaming up with LEAP to help do something about it.

LEAP is a non-profit focused on getting local foods into communities, whether it be through the Grandin Village and West End Farmers’ Markets, Healthy Food Incentive Programs, or its mobile market that goes into neighborhoods that don’t have access to fresh, local produce.

“We’re working with them to try to raise additional money and do more educational and outreach programs in Roanoke and get more food to communities that don’t have access to it,” Susanna said.

“We can’t do it by ourselves; we have to really build up this broader community. It’s not one farmer or one market or one consumer, it’s a whole community of people coming together to make it so we have a more equitable and resilient local food system,” said Maureen McNamara Best, executive director of LEAP.

That’s why Thornfield Farm is doing what it can to help, and would love it if you’d join.

“We are donating 20% of all of our market sales and we’re really looking for people to match that 20% and double our impact,” Susanna explained.

Thornfield’s goal is to raise $6,000. Susanna has written a blog post about why she’s so passionate about this cause. Click here to check it out, and make a donation. On Thornfield’s website you’ll also find a list of places you can find them to buy produce.

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