Goals & Needs

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Project 1

TAC Teaching and Innovation Farm Lab seeks Regenerative Agriculture GrizzlyCorps Fellow to advise TAC Farm Lab in designing and building a local food system serving the residents of Allensworth and regional communities. TAC is a new farm and requires the creation of systems and operations that meet the climate and food challenges of the 21st century. The various micro-projects will support a circular, regenerative system focused on a multifunctional, diversified, resilient agroecological system. TAC's primary purpose is to serve as Allensworth's economic and community engagement engine. TAC consists of various micro-projects creating jobs for residents, space to gather as a community, growing non-chemical crops, pasture-raised rabbitry, and vermiculture. 

 

TAC Farm requires assistance in creating a Regenerative Agriculture formula working with the local ecological system, respecting the dietary and cultural requirements of Allensworth families. TAC will grow crops that feed children growing, playing, and attending school. A food system that fuels parents doing physical work as agriculture workers and supports health and longevity. A crop production system that celebrates the heritage and recipes of their family.

 

TAC's mission is to create an agrosystem with structural and functional similarities to the natural ecosystem of the Tulare Lake biogeographic region. We are creating an ecosystem to improve the welfare of Allensworth residents and regional neighbors through intercultural processes. We seek to develop alternative food networks that bring together food producers and consumers with a primary focus on food security, food sovereignty, nutrition, health, and regeneration. We will practice supporting a food system based on resilience, participation, localness, fairness, and justice that is sustainable and helps restore and protect Earth's support systems.

 

Project 2

TAC Farm Lab is a project of the Allensworth Progressive Association. TAC is divided into sections of 10 acres for a Beginning Farmer Training Program dedicated to creating new farmers from historically Marginalized Groups, 10 acres for a commercial vermiculture and rabbitry operation, and close to 35 acres for crop production.

TAC Farm Lab's Regenerative Agriculture practices are agroecology-based with concern for seed, soil, and human welfare. The property will hold housing for trainees and guests, a commercial kitchen, a general store, and an agritourism center to host events. A Farmer Co-op arrangement will foster a land access relationship for graduating Regenerative Agriculture trainees/ farmers. The farmer co-op will support members with technical assistance, access to grants, and financial literacy, creating marketing channels and land access.         
 
Several organic farms in California have been destroyed by extreme weather conditions. In the California Central Coast, farms have been devastated by flooding and fire. In the Northern and Central Valley, fire and drought have destroyed farms, towns and weakened ecosystems making them vulnerable to excessive rain from atmospheric rivers.  
 
The scope of the assignment is part of TAC Teaching & Innovation Farm Lab. The Grizzly Corps Fellow will work on a farm resiliency plan to allow TAC and various micro projects to function in the extreme weather patterns of flood and drought of Tulare County. One of the primary goals is to identify methods of capturing water in extreme flashes of rain to support extended hot, drought periods. The fellow will research, design, conduct and report on findings. The Fellow is supported by TAC’s growing network of UC System partners and subject matter experts who can be called upon for mentorship and guidance. 

It is essential to Allensworth’s sovereignty that a reliable food system, jobs and health be established and protected through measures that work with Mother Nature to support all life. 
 

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Capacity Building Projects

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Project 1

A Day on TAC Teaching and Innovation Farm Lab:

 

TAC Farm is currently in its Design Phase. A Fellow will assist in creating a soil health plan from home in nearby Delano or Wasco, conducting research on regenerative agriculture concepts, and cover crop combinations to protect and improve soil health. Later in the day on TAC Farm, conduct soil samples and measure growth on Fall combination cover crop, and stop at the Allensworth Community Center to survey residents on vegetable and fruit crop preferences. 

 

Towards the end of the day, you might stop at the UC Berkeley Gadgil Labs to chat with PhD candidates conducting tests on Arsenic removal from TAC’s well. 

 

In the second half of the Fellowship, implementation of Farm Design will begin changing the scope of the work. This will include planting, sourcing organic seeds, managing grazing animals and rabbit trackers and organizing Allensworth residents to volunteer. 

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Days will vary with season and phase of TAC Teaching and Innovation Lab 

 

Fall/Winter 

• Planting diversified cover crops 

• Manage Regenerative Agriculture systems: animals, carbon, energy 

• Research food systems serving rural communities 

• Conducting soil samples 

• Creating measurement and reporting systems to earn Regenerative Agriculture/ Organic Certification. 

• Conduct surveys with Allensworth residents to gain cultural food preferences and recipe ingredients. 

• Collaborate with a Regenerative Agriculture consultant and subject matter experts 

• Visit Regenerative Agriculture farms in California 

Spring/ Summer 

• Accompany General Manager or TAC Lab Education Director to conduct media interviews or public engagement. 

• Plant cash crops, supporting cover crops

• Establish cycles in Regenerative Agriculture pasture animals

• Support TAC Lab Beginning Farmer Training Program 

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Project 2

A Day on TAC Teaching and Innovation Farm Lab:

The Fellow position requires a high level of independence and creativity. A day consists of walking Allensworth and TAC Farm observing the community and speaking to long-time residents of the area to gain historical knowledge. The majority of the Fellow’s time will be spent conducting independent research, writing an extreme weather farm resilience plan, and organizing a team to conduct a Test Slice for analysis. 

 

A typical day will include:

 

• Research 

• Conversing with subject matter experts, including APA staff and external partners. 

• Designing experiments 

• Conducting experiments 

• Providing consulting on innovative farming that is complementary to the local region 

• Working with the TAC Farm team 

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Organizational & Community Highlights

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The APA's primary leadership are women of color with experience leading and thriving in challenging environments. Our leadership includes Allensworth residents who are children and grandchildren of Allensworth advocates. All APA staff are people of color and work with dedication and passion in serving residents with empathy, generosity and transparency. In the last year, the team has achieved success in winning grants to fully fund TAC Farm Lab, build a new civic center with a health clinic and offer space for entrepreneurial pursuits, workforce center and more. Yes, additional success, and much more work to do. Allensworth is a living example of State neglect and resident resistance.   

 

Allensworth's lack of infrastructure  is not conducive to attracting new residents. One must travel by car to towns at least 15 miles away for any kind of services. Residents are ready for improvements. Many are mono-lingual Spanish speakers who actively attend community meetings, confront power and expect change. The history of Allensworth is very much its present. APA staff learn and honor the town's history to pragmatically envision a better future. 

 

The opportunity to work with a community like Allensworth is a legacy project. The rising optimism to develop a model rural community for California and our nation is being developed and needs to add staff to organize projects, inform the community and implement analysis to allocate resources. In short, APA staff is working to create regenerative food systems, solidarity economies and empowered democratic culture.