ENCINITAS — The Leichtag Foundation’s agricultural arm is making its produce available to the public.
Coastal Roots Farm has opened the doors to its Farm Stand, which the foundation described as a “new social enterprise that will support the Farm’s mission to ensure that everyone in our community has fair and equal access to local, sustainable food grown using only biodynamic and organic processes.”
The stand will be opened from 4 to 7 p.m. every Thursday at the foundation’s 441 Saxony Road address.
“We are so excited to share this amazing locally-grown produce with our community,” said Daron “Farmer D” Joffe, director of agricultural innovation and development at Leichtag Foundation, and founding director of Coastal Roots Farm. “At our Farm Stand, no one should feel priced out of buying fresh food for themselves or their families.”
All proceeds from the Farm Stand support the Coastal Root Farm’s vision to reduce food and nutrition insecurity in North County, as well as support the farm and foundation’s support of Jewish tradition and environmental stewardship, among other activities.
Fifty percent of the farm’s harvest goes to local food banks and community organizations, such as Community Resource Center and St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Encinitas, and to Jewish Family Service of San Diego’s Food Distribution at Camp Pendleton, through the Hand Up Youth Food Pantry program.
Since becoming an independent nonprofit in early 2016, Coastal Roots Farm has donated tens of thousands of produce items into the North County community.
In addition, the Farm Stand accepts Electronic Benefit Cards for food stamps (EBT) and is piloting an alternative, “pay what you can” system for produce sales.
“Our goal is to share our food with those who need it most,” Joffe said. “The Farm Stand is one of the many ways we plan on accomplishing that.”
