The New Orleans Food and Farm Network

The New Orleans Food and Farm Network (NOFFN) is an organization dedicated to the belief that everyone should have access to fresh, healthy and sustainably produced food for the long-term health of the environment, economy, and communities.

Mission
To work with individuals, communities, consumers and growers to support sustainable growing practices and to ensure access to and the knowledge of how to prepare safe, nutritious, enjoyable food.

Food Connections and Food Security
In today’s world, few people have any association with their food outside of the grocery store. Urbanites rely on farms and farmers from increasingly distant places to provide for and fill supermarket aisles with fresh produce and other products. For many New Orleans neighborhoods, however, grocery stores and supermarkets still have not returned to the area. Either too far or too expensive for many residents, supermarkets are not an easy option. Many neighborhoods now only have corner stores, which rarely stock fresh produce. People are not as used to cooking as they once were and the fresh foods that used to be a part of every meal have disappeared from the table.

“People don’t have the farm connection they once had,” says Daphne Derven, the Executive Director of NOFFN. “All of that existed in the past, but those connections have been lost.” NOFFN is trying to restart those connections.

The organization works on food issues from two different angles, what they call “Food Work” and “Farm Work”. On the food side, NOFFN deals with food justice and public policy on access to healthy food. They formed and are members of the New Orleans Food Policy Advisory Committee, which gives recommendations to the City Council and to the State on how to improve the local food system. NOFFN also works on educating residents about nutrition, food choices and availability, while also working with communities to address food needs and identify potential resources.

On the farm side of the issue, NOFFN is focusing on growing food by educating the public about urban agriculture on all scales, from backyard gardens to production farms. They also support local producers and growers while sharing information and resources with the community.

Growing Capacity
One way that NOFFN is helping deal with food scarcity and food issues in the city is what Derven describes as “growing growers.” With over 65,000 vacant lots in the city and nearly a year round growing season, the potential for urban agriculture in New Orleans is a great one. “The [space] does not need to be big to have an impact,” says Derven. A single back yard lot can help supply fresh and healthy food to an individual family while also providing a source of income. NOFFN currently gives away (for free) half a ton of seeds a year, and provides educational workshops and technical assistance to new growers and experienced growers alike, in order to help them grow for production. Not forgetting about the environmental issues, their approach also teaches and encourages organic and sustainable practices, including water management and composting.

“One vacant lot is not going to change the food system for a city but it can change it for a family, and if you have two, that’s two families.” Derven believes that incrementally, lot-by-lot, local and urban grown food can support families and neighborhoods in the city while creating resiliency and sustainability in the food system.

The Hollygrove Market and Farm (located in the Carrollton-Hollygrove neighborhood at 8301 Olive Street), is an innovative approach by NOFFN and the Hollygrove community to both support local growers and give access to good food. The market buys its produce from backyard growers, community gardens, urban-micro farms, and organic rural farms with in 200 miles of the city. The site is also host a demonstration farm and garden where the public can learn about farming techniques and sustainable growing methods.

The Whole Picture
Unlike other more traditional approaches to food issues, NOFFN is taking a holistic approach. As Derven explains, “we try not to separate our discussion of food from the whole picture of food.” The discussion is always set in the context of its culture and environment. It is about green space, education, health, neighborhood beautification, the environment and supporting local businesses all at the same time. For example, when owners of the Rudy Slipper Cafe wanted a neighboring empty lot to be cleaned up, NOFFN helped put the lot owner in touch with local growers. A garden was started that not only cleaned up the eyesore, but also created something for the neighborhood to come together around while enjoying the outside and fresh food. The NOFFN approach also takes them into different levels of the food system; they work with growers, distributors and suppliers to improve the quality and availability of food.

Partnerships
“Partnerships are analogous to companion planting. It is really important in growing to not have a monoculture, to have a diversity of crops, to have rich healthy soil, to have all sorts of worms and microorganisms as well as pollinators. Everything has a different purpose and it creates what appears to be one thing, which is an urban farm, but it’s actually not one thing. It’s many, many things that go together cohesively to create something really special. I think of partnerships with the organization the same way. It takes all sorts of partnerships; individual partners, organizational partners, technical partners, and academic partners. Whether these are people, companies, organizations or places it doesn’t really matter; they fit together and create our network, which is what we are. The strength [of the network] comes from that broad group coming together.” -Daphne Derven

Some of NOFFN’s Programs and Initiatives:
Food Projects and Initiatives

• The Food Talk Project: engaging the youth of the area to interact with members of the Algiers neighborhood to learn more about the food history and climate.
• The NOLA Food Map Project: helping returning residents find food in post-Katrina New Orleans. The interactive online map shows retail and emergency food locations in Orleans Parish. Printed maps are also posted and distributed throughout the different neighborhoods.
• Trinity Christian Community Center Youth Cook and Garden Summer Camp: a summer camp that teaches young people how to cook dishes using fresh, affordable, seasonal food as well as grow their own herds, vegetables and fruits.
• Savory Spoon Cooking Class in Algiers: a partnership with O. Perry Walker High School and Community Center, the class teaches young people how to cook dishes using fresh, affordable, seasonal food.

Farm Projects and Initiatives

• Grow Mo’ Betta: training series on how to create a sustainable growing space.
• Hollygrove Market and Farm: a partnership with the Carrollton-Hollygrove Community Development Corporation to develop a non-profit retail store selling locally grown and organic produce, as well as a training center for urban farming.
• The Farm Yard: helps residents develop backyard and community gardens by providing volunteers, materials and support through on site visits and trainings.

With support from the Greater New Orleans foundation, the New Orleans Food and Farm Network will provide greater community outreach and capacity building through training and technical assistance.

Website: New Orleans Food and Farm Network

Daphne Derven, Executive Director
Contact Information:
Email: info@noffn.org
Phone: 504-864-2009

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 13185
New Orleans, LA 70185-3185

Seed Pick Up and Farm Resources:
4840 Banks Street
New Orleans, LA 70119