Working Landscapes
Through partnerships such as the NCDA Farm to School program and other distribution partners, Working Landscapes is able to serve schools and other customers throughout the state.
Located In: Warren County
Counties Served: Edgecombe, Halifax, Nash, Wilson, Northampton, Warren, Franklin, Vance, Granville, and Person
Overview
Working Landscapes is a food hub and rural development organization whose mission is to build more sustainable livelihoods in the Warren County, NC region through stewardship of our natural and cultural assets. Though we are rooted in Warren County, we believe that many pressing issues—from healthy food system development to climate change—are best addressed regionally.
Our farm-to-fork value chains, educational programs, and research initiatives connect communities across our region, building infrastructure and relationships that can better serve us as more complex, large-scale systems unravel. We also have expertise in stakeholder engagement initiatives and community-based research design—let us know if we can help you.
Major Programs
Community Fresh Food Access
FarmSHARE: Working Landscapes participates in Carolina Farm Stewardship Association’s FarmSHARE program, sourcing locally-grown produce from small, sustainable farms and distributing it to those in need through our many community partnerships.
Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry: We are proud to be working in partnership with Loaves and Fishes food pantry to provide frozen storage for COVID food assistance programs
Farm to School
ByWay Foods: ByWay Foods is Working Landscapes’ brand of locally-grown, fresh-cut produce and prepared foods for schools and other foodservice customers. We are committed to building transparent, ethical value chains that move healthy food from farm to table as quickly as possible.
NC Farm to School Program:Working Landscapes is also a member of NCDA’s Farm to School cooperative. We custom-cut a variety of vegetables for the program, including diced sweet potatoes and sliced collard greens, serving school districts state-wide.
Farmer Training
GAP (Good Agricultural Practices) certification and farm planning: Working Landscapes helps farmers attain food safety certifications necessary for serving wholesale markets. We are currently partnering with CFSA to host trainings.
We can also assist farmers with grant writing for on-farm improvements, provide introductions to regional food distributors, and help envision how land and agricultural practices can help address the climate crisis and promote soil health.
Soil Health program: We are excited to be working with a small network of farmers to increase build soil health though regenerative agricultural practices. We are partnering with five farmers to do cover crop trials this fall, and will be measuring soil characteristics and yield across trial and control plots.
Senior Food Programs
Senior Meals: Through our commercial kitchen, we produce locally-sourced, nutritious and delicious frozen meals for seniors in our region, through partnerships with the Warren County Senior Center and Kerr-Tar Council of Governments. We are proud to use only pasture-raised meat, from suppliers such as Fowl Play and Firsthand Foods.
Local Food Promotion
What’s Growing On?: Working Landscapes’ farm-to-school education program is aimed at increasing awareness of locally-grown foods and food system literacy across northeastern North Carolina. What’s Growing On provides monthly deliveries to elementary classrooms that include a lesson, activities, crafts, stickers, and everything needed to make and enjoy a healthy snack in class.
