This story has been one of our most popular episodes ever. You gotta love a story about four childhood friends that decide to take a cross-country trip (and back) on a converted school bus turned mobile farm to teach kids in food deserts how to grow plants.
I have to thank my former assistant, Jordan Crossingham Brannock for first finding this story while perusing Pinterest. Yes, in our line of work, scouring social media is encouraged. Some of our best stories, like this one have come about from that very way.
In this episode, we catch our young farmers at the very start of their epic journey–well before they take to the streets for their six-month campaign to touch many lives about the possibilities of gardening and urban farming. Yes, planting seeds at every stop along the way.
We joined them for their journey along the way in person, and equipped them with a GoPro camera to document memorable times when we couldn’t be there to do so in person.
The converted school bus turned mobile farm includes a working greenhouse
Their mobile farm was once an abandoned school bus, long ago forgotten on a New England college campus. With absolutely zero experience in bus anything, they revived it and drove it back to Durham, NC. There, they converted it to include a greenhouse, rain collections system, composting system, solar panels and a living space for the farmers. And the bus runs on waste vegetable oil!
Their road trip mission was to travel the country, teaching urban dwellers about edible gardening, nutrition and alternative energies. In this episode we’ll see how they live, work and grow food in the this confined space, discover their secrets for making this all work and follow along as they visit other farms, schools and communities to spread the word about growing food in a sustainable way.
For More Information:
Sol Food Mobile Farm Website
Spending a Week with Sol Food Farm – A post by our producer Theresa Loe
About GGWTV
Growing A Greener World is a national gardening series on Public Television that features organic gardening, green living and farm to table cooking. Each episode focuses on compelling and inspirational people making a difference through gardening. This gardening series covers everything from edible gardening and sustainable agriculture to seasonal cooking and preserving the harvest.
Can you come to our home in Hopland California 95449–9753. We have three planting gardens ready to start on our property. And we only live 1 mile away from Hopland solar living center. We live amongst vineyards and wineries. We have two bedrooms and can house you too. We are newly retired with open schedule. We have 10 young neighbor, nieces and nefews that want to be part is this. All under age 11. We need advice and guidance. We are open to anything u say. We live on one acre. We have sap plus and $$$. HELP WE NEED U.
Judith and Craig Bartley.
Good People in R wonderful historic tiny town. We even have nearby Chinese restraints! (Gas)
Please come stay with us at our home and town. We are excited to start growing at our new home here!!!!