At Avenue 33 Farm, we center regenerative relationships:

with the soil, our plants, the ecosystem and our community.

This self guided tour explores how we cultivate these four primary spheres at the farm.

Access this self-guided tour by walking up the stairs and by scanning the colored QR codes displayed on the bed signs. 

SOIL

Composting creates a living soil amendment full of nutrients and beneficial microorganisms. Compost is made with farm and food scraps, woodchips, water, and air. In a compost pile, organic matter is broken down by aerobic organisms. We use compost for our soil and plant health in multiple ways, including: 1) adding compost to beds 2) soaking seedlings 3) side dressing. Keeping our compost healthy means a healthy foundation for our farm! 

Reflection question: How hot do you think the compost pile is? Use the thermometer to find out! 

PLANTS

Founders Eric and Ali had always wanted to start an urban farm, and after years of searching they established Avenue 33 Farm’s production site in their Lincoln Heights backyard in 2018. Eric’s extensive experiences in the restaurant and agriculture industries built the foundation for his goal to support local access to fresh produce and green space for Lincoln Heights. In 2021, Avenue 33 Farm collaborated with Los Angeles Leadership Academy (LALA) to steward this location and to develop LALA Community Farm – a space for people to learn and grow alongside the Earth. 

ECOSYSTEM

Avenue 33 Farm practices an expansive interpretation of a regenerative ecosystem. Our intentional approach to our soil and plant health is replicated in our relationship with the land and our neighbors. The ecosystem we sustain goes beyond harm reduction: we actively restore and revitalize the land’s health and uplift community stewardship to develop ecological and economic resilience. We do this by hosting a reduced price farmstand, providing free food distributions, empowering people to grow their own food, and training the next generation of farmers. 

COMMUNITY

Our weekly farmstand is one of the consistent access points built to sustain food access in our neighborhood. We bring local quality produce into our community for our neighbors to develop  more intimate relationships with the seasonality of our crops, how they’re grown, and who grows them. In order to ensure our customers continue to reflect the people in our neighborhood, farm boxes are offered on a sliding scale price range and all produce has a 75% discount for EBT users. Every dollar spent at the farm stand supports our broader ecosystem of farmers and programs.‍ ‍Made possible by the produce provided by Food Forward and with the help of many dedicated community members, our weekly free distribution regularly redistributes upwards of 2,000 lbs of recovered produce and feeds more than 150 families. This weekly gathering of community members committed to expanding food access in their neighborhood has now become one of the best ways for folks to find and build community!

Impact

Ave 33 Farm offers a variety of community-centered programming including internships, community farm days, farm workshops, farm to school programming, and community collaborations.Ave 33 Farm also hosts seasonal high school and college internships, creating workforce development opportunities for youth in our community and training the next generation of farmers. Interns develop their understanding of food access and deepen their investment in local food systems through  hands-on experience on the farm and at our weekly farmstand.

Our community farm days are a part of our efforts toward community skill building through hands-on experience on the farm. Your participation supports local agriculture and food sovereignty in Northeast Los Angeles. Additionally, we host workshops that offer participants an opportunity to expand their relationship and understanding of what our food and the earth can offer. In the past we’ve had workshops on making handmade butter, bouquet and print making, natural dyeing, and much more!

We also engage in farm to school programming for local K-12 schools! We offer field trips for grades TK through 12 to expose students to urban farming in LA. Additionally, we develop and implement  Harvest of the Month, an interactive program where Avenue 33 Farm staff hosts monthly, on-site taste tests of different fruit and vegetable varieties. Students discover their palates, learn health benefits and food chain journeys - all through consistent, engaging lessons.

Our intimate team here at Avenue 33 Farm is dedicated to keeping our work rooted in our Lincoln Heights community. We humbly offer our space, resources, and skills so that you all have the opportunities to contribute through active participation and thoughtful reflection. 

You can support our work by:

  1. Consistently shopping at our weekly farmstand

  2. Engaging local schools with our farm to school programs

  3. Joining our free food distribution, community farm days, and workshops

  4. Sharing our work with others, particularly those who would benefit most directly from our EBT-centered farmstand.

  5. Follow us on Instagram @ave33farm or on our website at ave33farm.com

Thank you for taking the time to learn about and support our mission here at Avenue 33 Farm! We invite you to enjoy our picnic tables: talk to someone next to you, explore the surrounding greenery, or pause and take in our beautiful slice of Northeast LA hillside.