Our 105th Real Farmer Care recipient is Shellie-Ann Kerns of Bunkhouse Acres @bunkhouseacres.
Shellie-Ann writes, “I moved to Matlock, WA, from the island of Jamaica in 2013. I have always enjoyed growing beautiful, nutrient-dense food and keep a large subsistence garden from which I share the surplus with neighbors and friends, but this year, I decided to start farming full-time. The pandemic puts in stark relief so many challenges within our colonized food system. When it emerged that tons of food from large corporate farms were going to waste, I knew I was being called to a higher purpose - to start a small farm and feed my community. I gained additional validation for my project when my brother, who is a farmworker in eastern WA, asked for my help in returning home to Jamaica because of the unsafe conditions at the labor camp after a second worker sick with COVID-19 had died. We have built a mammoth food system that relies upon poor black and brown bodies as a source of cheap, abundant labor. I believe that by farming small and supporting other BIPOC who want to, I am making a small step in turning this unfortunate situation on its head. As with many beginning farmers, my primary challenges have been cash and labor. I am accepting donations towards farm equipment and infrastructure, and I welcome volunteers for bi-weekly work parties. I also need your help in raising awareness for the harsh conditions migrant farm workers continue to face in the United States.”
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Donate via Venmo @ S-Ann-K and Links for all other donations including GoFundMe in bio @bunkhouseacres
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