In the time of coronavirus, finding fresh, locally grown food has become more difficult. But it is more important than ever to eat local, organic and seasonal food, both for our health and for the climate. Here are some ways you can access San Diego-grown climate-friendly foods and fight climate change with your fork! Food-related resources for COVID-19 are provided below, as well.
- CSA’s (Community Supported Agriculture)
- Farmers Markets
- Regenerative Farms
- Community Gardens
- Co-Gardening
- Growing Your Own Food
- COVID-19 Food Assistance
- COVID-19 Volunteer Opportunities (Food Access)
CSA’s (Community Supported Agriculture)
Due to the pandemic, many farmers have been overwhelmed with requests to join their CSA’s, and have stopped accepting new members. For a curated list of CSA’s that are still accepting new members, and who offer organic or regenerative produce*, please see our CSA page
*Why are we focusing on organic or regeneratively-grown produce? Because they produce less greenhouse gases than conventionally-grown produce, and regeneratively-grown produce actually pulls carbon down from the atmosphere and sequesters it in the soil, thus offering a key solution to climate change.
Farmers Markets
Farmers markets are not only a lovely way to spend a morning or afternoon, but they are also one of the best ways to access the freshest food available. Shopping at farmers markets enables us to support our local farmers and reap the benefits through beautiful locally-grown produce and delicious prepared foods.
During the initial days of the pandemic, all farmers markets were closed. Many have since re-opened, but not all. For a list of farmers markets that are currently open in San Diego (updated weekly), please visit Edible San Diego magazine’s San Diego Farmers Market Guide.
Regenerative Farms
Regenerative farming is just starting to catch on in San Diego (and around the world). By focusing on improving soil health through practices such as organic, no-till, crop diversity, and more, regenerative agriculture produces more healthful crops at yields similar to conventional agriculture, and also fights climate change! Farming regeneratively draws excess carbon (a climate-change causing greenhouse gas) from the atmosphere and stores it in the ground. For more information about how this works, watch this short video from “4 per 1000”, an initiative to promote regenerative agriculture as an important climate change solution that was introduced at COP 21 in Paris in 2015.
Here is a list of farms practicing regenerative agriculture in San Diego:
Community Gardens
If you’d like to grow your own food, but don’t have enough space to do so, a community garden is a wonderful opportunity to grow your own food and meet other local gardeners. Here is a map of community gardens in San Diego, courtesy of the San Diego Community Garden Network.
Co-Gardening
Have space to grow a garden, but no time, energy or inclination to do the work yourself? Partner up with a co-gardening organization that will set up and maintain a garden on your property. In return, you’ll get a share of what’s grown, and know that a portion of the excess will be given to charity. Good Neighbor Gardens offers these services in San Diego. Watch a video about their program.
Growing Your Own Food
Whether you’re brand new to gardening, or experienced and want to learn more, we’ve got a wealth of gardening resources for you! Classes, websites, books, and Instagram accounts of gardening mavens abound. Check out some of our favorite tips and resources for growing your own food here.
COVID-19 Food Assistance
These are trying times. If you need food assistance, please visit the San Diego Food Systems Alliance’s list of resources for COVID19 relief, particularly the “Resources for Residents – Food Access” section for up to date information on obtaining food assistance.
COVID-19 Volunteer Opportunities (Food Access)
There are many ways to help support both food access for those in need, and our local food producers here in San Diego during the pandemic. Please visit the San Diego Food Systems Alliance’s list of volunteer opportunities for ways that you can help.