Resources

Santa Barbara County Food Action Network is committed to sharing resources to support efforts during COVID-19. If you have a resource that should be listed here, please contact us.

Blueprints

Edible Santa Barbara

Magazine celebrating the abundance of local food and wine throughout Santa Barbara County.

Santa Barbara Carbon Farming Compost Study

A partnership of local and state groups identifying local interest in carbon farming, conducting carbon farm plans, and monitoring several field trials in Santa Barbara County – including one of only 17 NRCS trials in California.

Healthy Soils Initiative

Information on the new program focused on protecting and restoring soil organic matter in California’s soils.

California Department of Food and Agriculture

Resources and information on agriculture in California. See especially farm ecosystem services database .

Santa Barbara County Agricultural Commissioner

Information, data, and reports for Santa Barbara County producers. See especially Economic Contributions of Santa Barbara Agriculture heavily cited in the Blueprint Report.

Santa Barbara County Cooperative Extension

Information, data, and reports for Santa Barbara County producers, gardeners, and agricultural enthusiasts.

Conservation Blueprint of SBC

The Santa Barbara County Conservation Blueprint provides a common language and platform for publicly available data to support in depth conversations and informed decisions about the Santa Barbara County landscape. This collaborative project aims to describe the current landscape, natural resources, and community values about land in Santa Barbara County.

SBC Conservation Blueprint

The Santa Barbara County Conservation Blueprint provides a common language and platform for publicly available data to support in depth conversations and informed decisions about the Santa Barbara County landscape. This collaborative project aims to describe the current landscape, natural resources, and community values about land in Santa Barbara County.

Community Kitchens

Community Kitchens Map

The Mapping Community Kitchens in Santa Barbara County project identifies the available community kitchens across Santa Barbara County. These spaces give the community greater opportunities to conduct programs related to food security, nutrition, food waste reduction, and food-related entrepreneurial endeavors. Learn more.

Food Access

Food Access & Food Security Resources / Recursos de acceso y seguridad alimentaria

Looking for food assistance or to apply for CalFresh? Visit countyofsb.org/dss/ (or sbcdss.org) to learn about the programs and services offered by the Department, including CalFresh. The CalFresh program provides households on limited incomes with a monthly benefit to buy food. Applying is fast and easy at getcalfresh.org/. Or, contact…

Q&A – Food Access & Food Security / Preguntas y Respuestas – Aceso a Los Alimentos y Seguridad Alimentaria

Any updates on next phase of Pandemic-EBT? Maria Gardner - County Social Services: Recently, states have been granted authority, pending federal approval, to provide eligible children P-EBT food benefits for the entire 2020-21 school year. To provide P-EBT benefits for the 2020-21 school year, states must develop and submit a…

Op-ed: We Can Build a Better Food System Through Mutual Aid

Imagine if food producers and movements worked together to secure the basic needs of those fighting for a better world for everyone.

How Black Communities Are Bridging the Food Access Gap

Addressing systemic racism in U.S. agriculture has to begin with the USDA.

Fruit Tree Harvesting – Greenspot Farming

Greenspot Farming works with local retailers like produce stores and CSA produce delivery services to ensure the extra fruit on your trees makes its way to someone's table. We will pick and place your fruit in the local food system free of charge. Need some extra incentive to share your surplus? We offer a unique profit share program to generate revenue for you. Reduce food waste, bolster the health of our community, and farm with us!

Fruit Tree Hosting – Greenspot Farming

We cover the cost and planting of new fruit trees to make your green spaces beautiful and productive. Host fruit trees and become a member of the distributed farm. Enjoy your fresh fruit as your trees grow, and we will be there to collect the excess fruit and find a place for it in our food system. Reduce your carbon footprint, grow more healthy food, and farm with us!

A People’s Guide to a Regenerative Economy

The intersecting crises of income and wealth inequality and climate change, driven by systemic white supremacy and gender inequality, has exposed the frailty of the U.S. economy and democracy. This document was prepared during the COVID-19 pandemic, which exacerbated these existing crises and underlying conditions. Democratic processes have been undermined at the expense of people’s jobs, health, safety, and dignity. Moreover, government support has disproportionately expanded and boosted the private sector through policies, including bailouts, that serve an extractive economy and not the public’s interest. Our elected leaders have chosen not to invest in deep, anti-racist democratic processes. They have chosen not to uphold public values, such as fairness and equity, and not to protect human rights and the vital life cycles of nature and ecosystems. Rather, our elected leaders have chosen extraction and corporate control at the expense of the majority of the people and the well-being and rights of Mother Earth. Transforming our economy is not just about swapping out elected leaders. We need a shift in popular consciousness.

#FarmersFeedtheNeed – a coordinated effort to provide food to needy Californians

Thank you to California’s farmers, ranchers and farm workers for feeding us and supporting our food banks as they provide nourishment to the people who depend on them.

Food Action Plans

The Case for State Food Action Plans

The Case for State Food Action Plans. Laboratories of Food Democracy. By Joel Berg and Joy Moses at the Center for American Progress. February 2011.

Local Foods, Local Places: Actions and Strategies for Los Angeles, California

An Action Plan for Improving Food Access in the LA Promise Zone Los Angeles, CA. November 30, 2015.

Food System Action Plan

The Sacramento region is at the heart of one of the world’s largest agricultural economies, producing food for people around the globe. Our region’s food and agriculture industry creates $3.4 billion in annual output and employs more than 37 thousand workers in the Sacramento region.

Mendocino County Food Action Plan

A Project of the Mendocino County Food Policy Council 2014.

Sonoma County Healthy & Sustainable FOOD ACTION PLAN

Status Report. AUGUST 2016. A guide to local action on food production, land and natural resource stewardship, economic development, public health, and equity in our food system

Food Justice

Food Sovereignty & Food Justice Resources / Recursos de Justicia y soberania alimentaria

Panelists and Organization Ana Rosa Rizo Centino - Food and Water Action https://www.foodandwateraction.org Daniel Parra Hensel - Santa Barbara City College https://www.sbcc.edu/environmentalhorticulture/ Teresa Romero - Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, Environmental Office https://syceo.org Zulema Aleman - Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE) https://causenow.org Suguet Lopez -…

SBC Food Rescue: Business Outreach

Beginning January 1, 2019, AB 1826 requires businesses that generate four or more cubic yards of solid waste per week to establish an organic waste recycling program.SB 1383 establishes guidelines for organic waste reduction and edible food recovery targets for businesses. Donation of surplus food is one way to comply…

Op-ed: How Patents Threaten Small Seed Companies

From Civil Eats, By Kristina "Kiki" Hubbard and Cathleen McCluskey. Seed is now one of the most privatized resources on the planet: Four transnational firms control more than 60 percent of the global seed marketplace.

Want to See Food and Land Justice for Black Americans? Support These Groups.

Food justice is racial justice. As the nation rises up to protest atrocities against Black people, here are some organizations working to advance Black food sovereignty.

Reckoning with Racial Justice in Farm Country

Rural communities and agriculture groups are divided over George Floyd's death and the resulting protests. As some stay silent, others express solidarity or hold rallies in support.

Op-ed: We Can Build a Better Food System Through Mutual Aid

Imagine if food producers and movements worked together to secure the basic needs of those fighting for a better world for everyone.

How Black Communities Are Bridging the Food Access Gap

Addressing systemic racism in U.S. agriculture has to begin with the USDA.

Op-ed: How Urban Agriculture Can Fight Racism in the Food System

Growing food in cities offers a powerful way to reclaim communities and change the dynamics so that people of color have wealth and power.

Julián Castro on the Goya Boycott and How to Support Communities of Color

The former presidential candidate links COVID-19’s devastation in Black and brown communities with the need for a $15 minimum wage, free school meals, and universal healthcare.

Black Lives Matter in the Food System

During the first half of 2020, the disproportionate spread of COVID-19 in communities of color and the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police have drawn into sharp focus the systemic racism present in the United States—including in our food system.

Food & Agriculture Anti-Racism Resources

We have compiled the following list of resources to help you learn about systemic racism in our food industry and how we might work to dismantle it. We have also featured lists of food and farm businesses and organizations for you to support. This list is by no means complete. We will be working to update it regularly, so please email us at danielle@foodtechconnect.com if you have any resources, organizations or initiatives you would like to see added.

#FarmersFeedtheNeed – a coordinated effort to provide food to needy Californians

Thank you to California’s farmers, ranchers and farm workers for feeding us and supporting our food banks as they provide nourishment to the people who depend on them.

Food Waste

SBC Food Rescue: Business Outreach

Beginning January 1, 2019, AB 1826 requires businesses that generate four or more cubic yards of solid waste per week to establish an organic waste recycling program.SB 1383 establishes guidelines for organic waste reduction and edible food recovery targets for businesses. Donation of surplus food is one way to comply…

Food Waste Resources During The COVID-19 Pandemic

While our number one concern is for the health of those affected by COVID-19, ReFED also recognizes that our collective response to this crisis - such as buying food in bulk to guard against potential disruptions in supply chains; the forced closures of schools, restaurants, and other organizations that serve food; and more - is increasing the amount of food waste. And in many cases, the food being wasted could have gone to the most vulnerable among us through recovery and distribution programs.

Local Food Database

Local Farms & Local Foods Resources

Presenters Jenya Schneider, Cuyama Lamb Stephen Gliessman, Condor’s Hope / Growing the Table Initiative Julian Martinez, Barbareño Restaurant Clara Cadwell, Tutti Frutti Farms Oscar Carmona, Healing Grounds Nursery

Cuyama Lamb – Reservations available now

From grazing fire breaks in the Santa Ynez Mountains to protecting the endangered native grasslands of San Marcos Foothills, our lamb is 100% range-raised. You can feel good and eat well knowing these lambs have contributed to soil health and ecological well-being from Cuyama to the Coast. We believe this…

Fruit Tree Hosting – Greenspot Farming

We cover the cost and planting of new fruit trees to make your green spaces beautiful and productive. Host fruit trees and become a member of the distributed farm. Enjoy your fresh fruit as your trees grow, and we will be there to collect the excess fruit and find a place for it in our food system. Reduce your carbon footprint, grow more healthy food, and farm with us!

Local Harvest Delivery

Local Harvest Delivery hand-selects produce from local and sustainable family farms and delivers to your door every Saturday. They deliver to Santa Barbara, Goleta, Montecito, Summerland, Carpinteria and Ventura. They post the contents of each week’s box on their website. You can modify your box, make an on-going No-list, add…

John Givens Farm

John Givens has been farming in Santa Barbara County for 30 years and has 12 different farm properties in cultivation throughout the area. This farm adds trace minerals from rock dust to their soil as well as compost, promoting what John believes is better soil nutrition. Because the farm is…

Finley Farms

Finley Farms in Santa Ynez offers a large variety of seasonal row crops such as lettuce, beets, tomatoes, turnips, rutabagas, fennel, and peas, as well as melons, strawberries and raspberries, to name a few. You can read more about the Finleys in the Young Farmers article from our Summer 2010 issue. Pre-packed…

Farm Cart Organics

Farm Cart Organics is a family run, organic produce delivery business. They deliver weekly to locations in Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties. Cost: $12.25-$100 per week. Phone: 805 452-4823 E-mail: farmcartorganics.com Source: Edible Santa Barbara

The Farm Box Collective

The Farm Box Collective has grown from a single farm CSA (formerly Ellwood Canyon Farms) into a CSA collective of local organic farmers that we have worked with for several years. This ensures a diverse weekly box that supports several farms in our community. CSA’s are a critical component in…

Dare to Dream Farms

Dare 2 Dream Farms in Lompoc specializes in backyard chickens, handcrafted coops, free-range eggs, organic produce, and although they have a CSA, it is currently sold out. Check their website for updates. Website: www.dare2dreamfarms.com Source: Edible Santa Barbara

The Center for Urban Agriculture at Fairview Gardens

Fairview Gardens is the oldest CSA in our area, since 1988. The 100+ year-old farm is open to the public, and members and others are welcome to take self-guided tours, and attend a variety of classes and workshops. Farm stand is open Wednesdays 2-6pm with a variety of locally grown…

Blosser Urban Garden

Blosser Urban Garden is a sustainable small-scale organic farm in Santa Maria, delivering weekly or bi-weekly produce. Cost: $21-28 per week. Multiple delivery options. Phone: 805 878-1744 E-mail: blosserurbangarden@gmail.com Website: blosserurbangarden.com Source: Edible Santa Barbara

Plow to Porch

Plow to Porch delivers fresh, seasonal organic/pesticide-free produce and a wide variety of delicious “add-ons” weekly or every other week. The produce in their boxes mirrors the seasonal availability of our local farms and varies from week to week. They source from approximately 15 different farms in order to bring…

Cropmobster Exchange

A public and crowdsourced community resilience platform for sharing resources, trading food and supplies and building relationships for stronger localized food systems. Learn more.

Open for Business Restaurant Directory

A list of all restaurants serving take out and delivery from Noozhawk

A Guide to Santa Barbara Local Food During COVID-19

Find a guide to local gardens, farms, fisheries, restaurants, and more that are open from Edible Magazine.

Other Sites & Resources

Direct Assistance to Farmers through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program

The Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) offers direct assistance to farmers and ranchers in support for losses related to the pandemic. The USDA, through the Farm Service Agency (FSA), will be accepting applications from agricultural producers who have suffered losses. Applications are being accepted now until August 20, 2020.  …

A Toolkit for Strengthening Your Local Food System

Filled with tips and insights for food lovers of all skill and knowledge levels of local food, this toolkit offers ideas and resources for strengthening the local food systems in your community—from shopping at farmers markets to growing your own food to investing in and advocating for local food businesses.

Food Justice articles

A collection of Civil Eats articles on the intersection of justice, land access and the food system.

Coronavirus Food Assistance Program

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced details of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP), which will provide up to $16 billion in direct payments to deliver relief to America’s farmers and ranchers impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. In addition to this direct support to farmers and ranchers, USDA’s Farmers to Families Food Box program is partnering with regional and local distributors, whose workforces have been significantly impacted by the closure of many restaurants, hotels, and other food service entities, to purchase $3 billion in fresh produce, dairy, and meat and deliver boxes to Americans in need

Live to Share

90 second video honoring our food system essential workers

The Coronavirus and the Food Supply Chain

The spread of COVID-19, and the public responses and policies it has engendered, have interrupted some food availability and prompted concerns among consumers about the reliability of the food supply chain. Some farm producers have faced plummeting prices, while some prices, especially at retail, have spiked. We seek to explain what has been happening within the food supply chain and what is likely to happen as society deals with the pandemic and its aftermath.

Food and Agriculture Covid19 Response Funding List

Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Funders (SAFSF) is tracking COVID-19 philanthropic response and recovery funds that focus on the food and agriculture system. This is a working list and funds will continue to be added as members of our network and others share information.
Back To Top