Rebuilding a Local Food System

It is hard to believe I’ve been Executive Director at Community Crops for six months now. And what a six months it has been! One thing I know for certain is that we are in a critical moment for local food and there is nowhere I would rather be as we navigate the challenges ahead. Nebraska’s identity and economic livelihood…

Beginning Farmers for our Collective Future

Every day, I’m thinking about Crops’ future and how we can make a greater impact in Lincoln. At the same time, I find myself thinking about how our civilization can navigate the rapid disruptions from climate change that we must face collectively. These things are not unrelated. While the earth shows signs of dramatic ecological shifts and deterioration, at the…

15th Anniversary Stories #2: A Tale of Two Gardens

In 2004, based on the success of our first garden project at 23rd & P, Community Crops (then still known as Co-Sync) expanded to two new garden sites. One was at 46th & Pioneers streets, on three vacant lots that had been unused for many years. The other was at the Antelope Church of the Brethren at 37th & Normal…

What We’re Reading

Here in the Crops office, we like to stay current on local and national issues that impact our work. At our staff meetings, we discuss articles related to urban farming and food policy and try to integrate what we’ve discussed into our efforts to improve Lincoln’s food system. A recent article in Vanity Fair, Inside Trump’s Cruel Campaign Against the U.S.D.A.’s…

Harvesting Opportunity at EduCare of Lincoln

Most people know Crops from our Community Gardens across Lincoln, but we’ve also been working hard to make growing food a part of the daily lives of students at several public schools. During the Harvest Campaign, you can support our work by donating online. To see how we’re making a difference with Lincoln’s kids, learn more about our most recent…

True Friends

Meet Charlie and Saba, two of the 300 gardeners in our community garden program. Two years ago, they were strangers, separated by language and cultural barriers. Today they are True Friends! Charlie is a retired farmer from Kearney; Sabah an Iraqi refugee, with a lifetime of working the farm fields in his home country. However unlikely, their friendship has blossomed…

From Lincoln to India

GIVE TO LINCOLN DAY IS MAY 18TH MAKE A BIGGER IMPACT BY DONATING TODAY! Pearl onions, peanuts, lemon trees, and rice remind Narmadha of the vacations visiting her grandparents in a farming village near Perambalur. During the annual harvest festival called Pongal, all the farmers and families would thank each of the natural resources that helped them grow and harvest their…

Support Crops and Get Free Plants!

Dear Crops Supporters, Individuals like yourself have made it possible for hundreds of Lincoln families to benefit from Crops’ programming, providing them the tools and resources to become more self-sufficient by growing their own food or starting a small business. However, funding for these programs is in serious jeopardy. Now more than ever, Community Crops needs your support to improve our…

Statement from Executive Director on Refugee Ban

Dear Crops Supporters, Since 2003, Community Crops has welcomed gardeners and farmers from across the world to join us in our efforts to make Lincoln a more vibrant and equitable city. Recognizing the unique talents and experiences of refugees, Community Crops has worked closely with Lincoln’s diverse ethnic communities to tailor our programs to the needs of New Americans, regardless…

John Doran

World-renowned soil microbiologist and sustainability expert, John Doran, has dedicated his life to meeting the needs of people and taking care of the earth’s resources. As someone involved with Community Crops since its inception, he has contributed his knowledge, time, and funds to help create a community in which not only vegetables flourish, but people as well. John’s main priority…