Erin Neville’s interest in regenerative farming began some years ago when her health was compromised. Doctors diagnosed her with fibromyalgia, which, according to western medicine, has no cure. The solution to this problem came in the form of complete life transformation. She completed an internship with Roots Farm and started WWOOFing in 2021/22. The farms she visited practiced regenerative agriculture and she learned about the importance of minimal soil disturbances and the importance of microbial life beneath the soil. It has become clear to her that the need for high quality food is essential to the health of each other and this planet. Erin’s goal is to own a farm with her family and friends so that they may help restore the health of their local community.
Jessica Fahmy is 23 years old and has been obsessed with the idea of working on a farm ever since she was a little girl. She has plenty of experience with plants and loves them so much that she majored in Landscape Architecture at UC Davis.
She’s installed over a dozen vertical living walls and has her own massive plant collection, worked at a small business plant store and took many environmental horticulture classes. This will be her first time working on a farm and she’s very excited about this opportunity to finally be able to take on this challenge and live that fantasy she had as a child.
Zachary Tan Strein is an urban farmer in New York City. One of his earliest memories is of picking cherry tomatoes with his family at the garden on Roosevelt Island, where he grew up and learned to love being outdoors.
Through his experiences as a student, an educator and a farmer he has enjoyed exploring connections between food, soil, identity and beyond. He is an avid cook, a big fan of maple syrup, likes riding bikes and watching science fiction movies.
Victoria Rose Parra (she/they) is a 3rd generation Mexican American born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. Her interest in herbalism and growing food were inspired by her grandmother’s remedies and her grandfather’s stories of farm work on his migration to Chicago from northern Mexico. Her love for learning is sustained by the relationships that have blossomed from a shared care for the earth as well as the goal of making medicine and food more accessible. Her growing knowledge has been supported by community members and educational opportunities through Hood Herbalism and Soul Fire Farm. She hopes that the Future Farmer Program will empower her with the tools to feed her community.
Priscilla Torres is an urban farmer with a passion to share what they grow. She is a Cal Poly Pomona Alumni earning her degree in Agricultural Science and Urban & Community Agriculture.
She is currently working with her community to divert food waste and convert it into compost. She is hopeful about the future of bridging the gap between people and food through education and accessibility.
