How We Grow at the Food Bank Farm

At the Orangevale-Fair Oaks Food Bank Farm, we grow as much healthy food as possible for local families, while caring for the land that sustains us. With the launch of The Farmstand, many have asked how we grow our crops. Here’s the inside scoop.

The Food Bank Farm combines the best practices from organic, conventional, and regenerative farming. This hybrid approach means we:

• Build healthy soil with compost, cover crops, and balanced fertilizers.

• Rotate crops to keep the soil strong and naturally prevent pests.

• Plant varieties that resist disease.

• Use barriers to protect crops.

When it comes to pest management, prevention is always the first step. We only consider treatments as a last resort, and when we do, we use certified organic materials.

Weeds are a different challenge. We are battling invasive Bermuda grass. We spent the last winter season removing many of the plant stems by hand in the field, but that task is impossible in the gravel. Once a season, we use herbicide to control them in those gravel areas. All precautions are taken to exclude foot traffic while the compounds are active.

Food Bank Farm Manager Lacey Yuke studied sustainable agriculture and food systems at UC Davis. She is licensed by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation as a Qualified Applicator, meaning she is highly trained, regularly tested, and required to report to the state to ensure compliance and environmental safety.

This expertise ensures that everything we do, from the soil beneath our feet to the food on your table, is safe, responsible, and sustainable.

Visit The Farmstand every Saturday from 8-11 AM to see our thriving crops, buzzing pollinators, and healthy soil up close. Our farm and the vegetables and fruits we grow are carefully tended to by our staff and volunteers.

Learn more at foodbank.farm and follow us on Facebook and Instagram for updates.