OTTAWA COUNTY, Mich. — Kids' Food Basket broke ground Tuesday morning on a 10-acre sustainable, chemical-free farmland located in Ottawa County.
The farm is being built in partnership with Ridge Point Community Church in Holland.
The farm will grow produce that will go directly back to the community and help increase access to healthy food for residents of Ottawa and Allegan counties.
The local produce that will be grown will be donated to local community partner sites and be put in 'Sack Suppers' for the 1,000 students that Kids' Food Basket serves in the community.
“We are beyond grateful to Ridge Point Community Church for their generosity through this partnership,” said Bridget Clark Whitney, President and Founding CEO of Kids’ Food Basket. “At Kids’ Food Basket, we understand how important fresh, locally-grown food is for the overall health and wellbeing of our children and community. With this land, we are now able to provide more fresh produce to our community, more nutritious Sack Suppers to students and host more classrooms from Ottawa and Allegan counties.”
The farm project broke ground Tuesday morning at a ceremony at the farm's future location of 340 104th Avenue, Holland.
The new farm is expected to reach full growing capacity by 2023, but expects only a small-scale growing model for the upcoming 2022 harvest season.
The farmland will also feature a year-round greenhouse and a learning barn where children can have access to educational opportunities.
When completed, this project will be the second farm location for Kids' Food Basket. Currently, the organization owns urban farmland in Kent County and in 2021, Kids’ Food Basket Farm – Kent County has distributed more than 134,843 servings of fresh vegetables and fruits to the West Michigan community.
In the upcoming months, volunteer opportunities will be available on the new farm. Get more information on the farm's status and how to volunteer, visit KidsFoodBasket.org.
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