2022 Season Farm Bucks on sale at Rugged Roots Farm!
Have you purchased your 2022 Season Farm Bucks? Are you unsure of what these are or how to use them?
Farm Bucks are cash value points redeemable at Rugged Roots Farm, managed by Lost Sierra Food Project, during its Tuesday Summer evening Farm Stands and season long, open 7-days-a-week Honor System Fridge. Farm Bucks can be purchased in pre-selected amounts from $100 to $500 or in another amount outside of this range.
Why purchase Farm Bucks? As the recipient, you can redeem these points to purchase Rugged Roots Farm produce including seasonal vegetables, pick-your-own berries, make-it-yourself flower bouquets, and pumpkins from the annual pumpkin patch event. Your advanced payment in the Spring supports farm startup costs and allows LSFP to estimate growing needs for the 2022 season. In purchasing Farm Bucks, you are supporting food security and regenerative agriculture practices in your home community. In case that’s not enough of an incentive, if you purchase your Farm Bucks before May 1st, Lost Sierra Food Project will offer you 5% increased credit. For example, if you purchase $400 Farm Bucks, you would receive $20 FREE simply by purchasing before May 1st. You can purchase these online at lostsierrafoodproject.org/farm-bucks or (preferred) send a check written out to:
Lost Sierra Food Project 429 Main Street Quincy, CA 95971
Did you know LSFP also offers a Free & Reduced Farm Bucks program? Created to address food insecurity among veterans, low-income individuals, or residents who identify as food insecure in our community, this program offers 3 affordable methods for receiving 300 Farm Bucks. The options are a combination of paying, volunteering, and/or attending workshops. The 3 options are as follows:
● Tier 1: Volunteer 10 hours throughout the farm season + Pay $0 out of pocket cost + Attend a minimum of 3 cooking and/or nutrition classes = Receive 300 Farm Bucks
● Tier 2: Volunteer 5 hours throughout the farm season + Pay $50 out of pocket cost + Attend a minimum of 2 cooking and/or nutrition classes = Receive 300 Farm Bucks
● Tier 3: Volunteer 0 hours + Pay $100 out of pocket cost + Attend a minimum of 1 cooking and/or nutrition class = Receive 300 Farm Bucks
As you can see, volunteering at Rugged Roots Farm is optional for receiving 300 Farm Bucks, but past participants have expressed it is their favorite part of the program experience. Participants have flexibility on when they can volunteer such as on official LSFP Volunteers Days (Tuesdays through Thursdays, 9am – 12pm) or on special farm events occurring now through October!
LSFP would love for program participants to volunteer, but understand participants may not have the flexibility in their schedules to do so. Because of this, they offer options for paying $50 or $100 to participate. They also offer payment plans if an individual cannot pay the full price all at once. In addition, CalWORKS or CalFresh can be used to make this purchase.
In collaboration with Plumas County Public Health, LSFP will be offering free cooking and/or nutrition classes on select Tuesday Farm Stand evenings. These demonstrations will allow community members to learn about meal preparations for seasonal Rugged Roots Farm produce. Registration for these classes will be capped and priority will be given to Free & Reduced Farm Bucks program participants.
If you are a veteran, low-income resident, or identify as food insecure in our community and would like to apply for Lost Sierra Food Project’s 2022 Free & Reduced Farm Bucks, please complete this form:
https://forms.gle/qD68NhKb4x7xe7sY7
For EBT card holders, Lost Sierra Food Project offers a monthly payment plan. You can consider this like a layaway plan – buy now, pay later! Say you’d like to make a big purchase of Rugged Roots Farm produce in June, you can pay the sum of your purchase over the course of June through October or other timeline agreed upon.
Consider purchasing your Farm Bucks today! If you’re eligible, apply to join the Free & Reduced Farm Bucks program. At their Farm Stands, LSFP will also be accepting EBT, checks, or cash in addition to Farm Bucks. For the Honor System Fridge, only cash or Farm Bucks will be accepted. Regardless of what currency you’re using, Lost Sierra Food Project hopes to see all community members at Rugged Roots Farm this 2022 season!
