< BACK

Zenger Farm

BIPOC-Led Organization

Mission

For 25 years, Zenger Farm has served as an urban farm that educates about sustainable food systems, environmental stewardship, community development, and food justice. Our goal is to create a just food system for all. Since 1999, we’ve been connecting people to the farmers and the land that grows their food. We serve as a community hub for small local farmers, apprentices, community partners, K-12 students, and the public.

Bottom Line for Portland

Zenger Farm is a critical community space in outer Southeast Portland providing access to organic fresh foods, a paid farmer apprenticeship, farm-to-school education, and traditional ecological knowledge.

We aim to build a just food system through a variety of initiatives…

-Our SNAP acceptance program has allowed SNAP benefits to cover the costs of fresh local produce, which has now expanded to 84 farms in the region.

-Our CSA Partnerships for Health program was one of the first in the nation to have insurance providers cover the cost of fresh produce as healthcare—now a model used by 53 programs nationwide.

-50% of our farm apprentices have started their own farms using sustainable farming practices.

-We have educated 81% of the David Douglas School District’s student body about environmental stewardship through our farm-to-school program.

From transforming how we access food to empowering new farmers and young students, Zenger Farm is not just growing produce, but it’s growing a more just, resilient, and connected food system for the next 25 years and beyond.

Quote

“Zenger Farm is a beautiful community resource where I have enjoyed participating in harvesting vegetables, preparing, and sharing in community meals, and a working farm that helps meet community food needs.” - Program Participant

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Zenger Farm is located in the outer Southeast Portland neighborhoods of Powellhurst-Gilbert, Lents, and Foster-Powell, where 50% of residents identify as BIPOC. We recognize that racism, colonialism, and capitalism drive inequitable access to fresh local food. With this in mind, we prioritize access to our programming for BIPOC community members. This includes public event programming, our apprenticeship, and more. We utilize and educate about sustainable farming practices as an act of climate resilience, knowing climate action is essential to food sovereignty.