Fundraising efforts for SWVA Agrarian Commons to acquire Lick Run Farm in Roanoke going strong

ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) - Fundraising efforts for the Southwest Virginia Agrarian Commons to acquire Lick Run Farm in Northwest Roanoke are going strong. The cost of the project is $426,250. Over $287,000 has been raised.

“We just crossed two-thirds of our fundraising goal raised, which feels like a really big accomplishment,” said Cam Terry, owner of Garden Variety Harvests.

The farm is located in a food desert. This land acquisition project will give people who live in the northwest part of the city access to healthy, nutritional food. Cam is farming the land and working to turn it into more than just a place where food is grown, but a community space.

“It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Land deals are really expensive; and especially land deals in urban places where the land values are really high. It costs a lot. This land is going to be owned by a community land trust. I’m going to lease that land as the farmer here, and then when I’m done, another farmer will come in and do the same,” Cam explained.

He’s happy with not only the financial support of the community, but the sweat equity that’s being put in. The greenhouse is full; and they’re also transforming the house on the land. They’re painting the community room and recently installed flooring.

“A lot of the construction that we’ve done with the sub-floors was just three guys who had construction experience who wanted to help out and lend their skills. We knocked it out in a day,” Cam explained.

He has no doubt the fundraising goal will be met.

“Eventually we’re going to look up and it’s all going to be done. Once this land is secured, it will never be anything besides a farm. It’s a really lasting gift that you can give to make that contribution,” Cam said.

Click here if you’d like to make a donation to help the Southwest Virginia Agrarian Commons acquire Lick Run Farm. All donations are being accepted through the Agrarian Trust, and they’re tax deductible.

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