Carbondale Food Autonomy

WHO IS CSFA?

We are a network of farmers/growers, community gardens, and organizers for environmental justice and right relationship to the land. We grow organic food in public gardens, harvest and distribute food on street-side farm stands, and deliver food to community groups like the SoIL Collaborative Kitchen. We focus on growing healthy, organic traditional vegetables and fruits, perennial food crops, food bearing bushes and trees, and medicinal plants. We are building our capacity for hosting more collaborative skill shares, workshops, and to give away more farming supplies to the community.

Our partner gardens include:

Women For Change’s “Red Hen Garden” at 507 E Larch St 62901

“Washington Street Garden” at 211 N Washington St 62901

“Chestnut Community Garden” at 412 Chestnut St 62901

“Birch Street Food Forest” at 442 Birch St 62901

WHAT ARE OUR VALUES?

We are motivated to work toward a resilient food system in the southern IL region, starting where we are in Carbondale, IL. Our work is inspired by history, socio-economics, environmentalism, ecology, as well as the love of food and the land. Collectively, we have spent years studying and learning about permaculture, our native ecologies, and our own local history, including the environmental racism that has contaminated much of the land in the furthest NW area of NE Carbondale. We are deeply concerned with the well being of the human and more-than-human world, and recognize the effects of modern society (including modern agriculture) as destructive and without care for the precious, interwoven ecologies of our planet and people.

We believe we can start to address these complex issues by restoring a right and just relationship to the land at the local level, stewarding ecological diversity through ancient and innovative growing techniques, and building trust and cooperation in the neighborhoods in which we live.

HOW CAN FUNDING HELP?

As we attempt to give our food away for free, our work is funded by grants and donations. We are working toward a more sustainable business model that suits our ethical concerns, but in the mean time our work is supported by generous contributions from community members like you, as well as municipal grants. 

We use funds primarily to pay the lead farmers who labor in our gardens, especially those with years of experience, who are committed to our values, and whose primary source of income is through farming. We also pay people who participate as continuous workers in the gardens, folks who show up to be trained as gardeners/farmers, and drop-in workers. However, our gardens wouldn’t be thriving if it weren’t for the countless volunteer hours that everyone contributes (from lead farmers on payroll to the retiree lead farmers who generously donate their full time work to the cause). 

Generally we are able to secure grant funding for supplies and materials, and even infrastructure, but grants are far harder to come by that allow us to cover labor costs. Your contribution ensures that we can pay workers equitably and with continuity so that our gardens can flourish sustainably with care and love that comes from valuing our work.

Check out our "updates" as they unfold for more history on CSFA, our past & current projects, and to learn about our future goals.

Quick links:

Our Link Tree (online business card)

A video about our Chicken Coop Project