By using Bloom to enrich its soils, Rappahannock Education Farm is putting sustainable farming to work in the fight against food insecurity. The Fredericksburg-based nonprofit, founded in 2023 and run entirely by volunteers, aims to donate thousands of pounds of fresh produce each year to local residents in need while offering education and hands-on opportunities to grow food sustainably.
Board chair Rich Larochelle, a veteran community leader in the cooperative space, first began experimenting with Bloom when he started farming the land last year. “We first learned of Bloom from a local business, and discovering this nutrient-rich, natural product made from organic materials felt like a perfect fit with our sustainability goals,” he said. “I figured it was worth a shot—and I’m very happy with the results.” In addition to Bloom, the farm’s natural approaches include the use of leaf mulch, compost, horse manure and organic fertilizers.
Driven by the fact that roughly one in ten local residents face food insecurity, the farm is on track to harvest and give away 25,000 pounds of produce this year, with hopes of scaling up to 100,000 pounds annually. The farm also plans to offer monthly classes on food production and plenty of opportunities for locals to roll up their sleeves in support of the mission.
