About this project
WHAT:
Truck Farm was born in Brooklyn, NY in the spring of 2009, when Ian Cheney set out to plant a vegetable garden in the bed of his grandfather’s 1986 Dodge pick-up truck. The mobile garden project soon grew: Ian and collaborator Curt Ellis (co-creators of “King Corn”) took the public art project on the road, exhibiting Truck Farm at 40 schools and on the National Mall in DC. Their Truck Farm Garden Contest, judged by food celebrities Alice Waters, Michael Pollan and Marion Nestle, inspired 65 student groups to plant creative farms of their own. Now, the capstone of the Truck Farm project has been competed: the 45-minute documentary film “Truck Farm” was released telling the story of an old Dodge, a new kind of farming, and the future of food in the American city. In coordination with the release of the film, the Truck Farm has been upgraded to a fleet status of 25 Truck Farmers across the US.
Phoenix is proud to say that we are one of them. Truck Farm Phoenix will hit the road this fall 2011 reaching out to schools and youth organizations across the valley teaching kids how fun farming and healthy food can be, engaging them in thinking about where food comes from and getting them excited about growing food themselves.
WHEN:
Truck Farm Phoenix will debut Fall of 2011 in coordination with Phoenix’s fall and winter growing season and calendar school year.
HOW:
Truck Farm Phoenix has a goal of reaching out to youth in at least 25 varied places by visiting underserved school districts, farmer’s markets, youth day camps, community centers and festivals and fairs as well as participating in World Food Day 2011.
With your help, we will be able to accomplish our goals. Donations go to covering the costs of the construction and planting of our previously-donated 1/2-size pick-up truck, gas, car insurance and education materials. All remaining funds after the season is over will be donated to our non-profit partner, Native Seeds/SEARCH. Thanks to our local fiscal sponsor, Slow Food Phoenix, donations meeting the minimum of $25 are tax-deductible.
KEEP IT MOBILE!
Email, for inquiries on visits: truckfarmphx@gmail.com
Facebook, to follow our adventures: Truck Farm Phoenix
Twitter, to get updates on our whereabouts: @TruckFarmPHX
National Website, for information on the national fleet and to book a screening: www.truck-farm.com
Thank you ahead of time for your support of Truck Farm Phoenix and, ultimately, the success of the project's mission!
Patty, Clea, Natalie and Mikey
Truck Farm Phoenix has made it this far with the help of and would therefore like to recognize Duncan Family Farms, Native Seeds/SEARCH, Slow Food Phoenix, Davis Graves Photography and Mikey Avila, our truck provider and farmer extraordinaire!
FAQ
Have a question? If the info above doesn't help, you can ask the project creator directly.
31
Backers
$1,275
pledged of $1,000 goal
0
seconds to go
Funding Successful
This project successfully raised its funding goal on October 20, 2011.
Pledge $25 or more Pledge $25 or more
How about some high visibility recognition? We'll thank you by having your name displayed on the Phoenix Truck itself. That way everyone will know you had a hand in mobilizing the good food word!
Pledge $50 or more Pledge $50 or more
Visible and mobile recognition plus our one-of-a-kind Truck Farm Phoenix t-shirt to wear next time you're planting your own urban garden!
Pledge $150 or more Pledge $150 or more
Recognition, the Truck Farm Phoenix t-shirt and a autographed copy of the Truck Farm Documentary by the filmmaker and original Trucker himself, Ian Cheney as well as the rest of the Truck Farm Phoenix team.
Pledge $500 or more Pledge $500 or more
All you see above plus one Truck Farm front-seat ride-along to the destination of choice on our outreach list.
Pledge $1,000 or more Pledge $1,000 or more
You just scored yourself an on-the-farm and under-the-stars screening of the Truck Farm documentary, and all the gear above of course. Gotta be able to come to us for this one!
Project By
Has not connected their Facebook account.
Patty works for Duncan Family Farms as their Locally Grown Business Manager and is the leader for Slow Food Phoenix. Her passion is rooted in developing local food systems, collaborative relationship building and community-based food initiatives. She came to Truck Farm to participate in educational outreach and raising awareness regarding where our food comes from.
Clea owns and operates a small business out of a food truck, "beet strEAT," with a mission to offer a unique way for communities in food deserts to access and enjoy whole, fresh, locally-produced foods. She came to this and Truck Farm Phoenix from tinkering around in social businesses, following completing her MA in Sustainability.
An Arizona native, Natalie works for the local non-profit Community Food Connections, which operates to provide state welfare recipients access to farm-fresh food and simultaneously sustain local and small business farmers and producers. A recent graduate of Slow Food’s University of Gastronomic Sciences, she also was the original coordinator for the national Truck Farm Fleet.
Mikey's many faces and talents manifest themselves through his day job as a baristo and by night as a local DJ. By weekend he's traveling across Phoenix highways via his tangerine orange scooter or he's at home tending to his vertical urban garden in an effort to satisfy his personal mission of turning Phoenix into a green desert oasis.
