The Harvest Fields Project
The Harvest Fields Project combines three individual programs under one joint effort to facilitate permaculture principles of agriculture techniques into a Christian ministry of urban farming that supports people with fresh healthy food in food desert areas. We call this Community Supporting Agriculture.
We demonstrate care of the creation by utilizing permaculture techniques to lower the annual maintenance requirements and help to renew the land and ecosystem at the same time. This works in harmony with the natural function of the land by growing what the land was designed to support.
We demonstrate free sharing by using the produce that is grown to benefit the local population as it is distributed free of charge to the needy in the area or sold to support the work.
Sozo City Farms are small permaculture farms placed in urban areas on vacant lots. The farms will be established by the Harvest Fields Project through partner ministries and individuals. The farm will facilitate care of the people by becoming a connecting point, a social setting where neighbors can connect around the beauty of nature.
The Farm at Sozo Valley Ranch will be a much larger operation in a more rural setting. This farm will be located on Sun Ministries' Sozo Valley Ranch. The facilities of the ranch will allow us to host people for extended training in permaculture techniques and other useful skills such as canning and preserving produce. The Farm at Sozo Valley Ranch will allow us a level of support that is not currently available. The produce from the farm will provide revenue to support the entire program.
The Harvest Fields Project Modular Buildings will produce small sheds, hoop houses, greenhouses, chicken tractors and small cabins. These items will be made to fit the requirements of urban settings where Sozo City Farms are located. This will give the Sozo City Farms access to affordable infrastructure designed to meet local requirements. The sale of these items will provide employment for Sun Ministries staff and Sun Ministries' Narrow Gate Program Participants as well as revenue for operations.
The three programs work together to provide space for farms, training and infrastructure support. They also produce revenue to support and expand the entire project. The use of permaculture principles lowers the labor requirements over time and make sustainability more likely. The entire program facilitates the principles of permaculture in a Christian context offering care of the creation, free sharing of produce, and holistic care of the people through nature, food provision and empowering skill building in a Christina setting.