News

Cooperation Humboldt planted 20 community fruit trees in public locations throughout Eureka and Arcata as part of the organization’s food program.

“We believe that nutritious food is a fundamental human right and our food projects aim to put that belief into practice in very tangible ways,” Tamara McFarland, who coordinates the organization’s food program, said in a press release.

The trees will be accessible to the community and everyone who received a tree agreed to share the fruit once they start producing, the release added. The planting of the trees was made possible, in part, by the Humboldt Area Foundation's Donor Circle Fund, which funded four social justice aimed organizations and is the subject of this week's Journal cover story. With the funding, Cooperation Humboldt was also able to set up an office for the fledgling nonprofit.


The fruit trees come after Cooperation Humboldt’s successful Little Free Pantries program, “where residents can share non-perishable foods and personal care items 24 hours a day.” The organization will also look to convert unused lawns into productive gardens in affiliation with the national Food Not Lawns organization.

“The foundation of our food program is an understanding that our current food production and distribution system – reliant on large corporations to meet our fundamental need for sustenance – is deeply flawed and contributing to climate breakdown,” McFarland said in the release. “We must work to re-localize our food systems, and reconnect individuals and families to traditional skills, like producing their own food if we hope to keep the planet habitable for our children.”

Below, you'll find maps of where the fruit trees and pantries are located, as well as the full press release from Cooperation Humboldt.

LOCAL GROUP PLANTS FRUIT TREES FOR THE FUTURE

EUREKA, CA (April 4, 2019) – Spring has sprung, and local nonprofit Cooperation Humboldt’s food team has launched the season by planting two dozen fruit trees throughout Eureka and Arcata. The trees were all planted in publicly accessible locations, with the specific intent of making food available to anyone who wants it.

“We believe that nutritious food is a fundamental human right, and our food projects aim to put that belief into practice in very tangible ways,” says Tamara McFarland, who coordinates the organization’s food program. Everyone who received a tree has agreed to share its fruits with their neighbors once the trees begin to produce, and signage will be added to that effect.

The fruit tree planting follows on the heels of another successful project, Cooperation Humboldt’s Little Free Pantries – with 12 outdoor pantry boxes now in operation where residents can share non-perishable foods and personal care items 24 hours a day. Cooperation Humboldt’s food team will be working next on converting unused front lawns into productive gardens.

 “The foundation of our food program is an understanding that our current food production and distribution system – reliant on large corporations to meet our fundamental need for sustenance – is deeply flawed, and contributing to climate breakdown. We must work to re-localize our food systems, and reconnect individuals and families to traditional skills like producing their own food if we hope to keep the planet habitable for our children,” McFarland states.

Cooperation Humboldt wishes to thank the Humboldt Area Foundation’s Social Justice Donor Circle and the North Coast Co-op’s Cooperative Community Fund for making these projects possible.