Description
Farmers and Me is a social graphic design project that centers on the emerging and growing phenomena of local organic farms in San Diego. Although there has been an increased demand and interest in local, sustainable farming and organic produce, a large percentage of the population remains unfamiliar with the local produce available at their supermarkets, farmer's markets, and through Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs. The focus of my research was threefold: Firstly, to promote locally grown produce by informing the community to make better choices. Secondly, to bring attention to the effort that goes into the production of our food. Thirdly, to facilitate an interactive environment where consumers meet producers. The core of my project was to gather data in the San Diego community through questionnaires and interviews. I met face-to-face with many San Diego farmers and listened to their personal stories about their passion for organic farming and gardening. Almost every farmer I have met told me that they became farmers to make a difference in their lives and in their neighborhoods. They realized the importance of providing fresh food to their families and caring for the environment. For example, Daniela Mejia, a community gardener, explained in her interview that her body has been reprogrammed to not eat refined sugars after she started growing her own fresh fruits and vegetables. Many more accounts such as Daniela's can be read in the interviews I conducted with the other farmers, whom many are now my friends. The goal of this project was to connect the consumer to the source of their food by informing them about the food production process, which typically includes the land, people, soil, water, funds, methods, processes and passion. I hypothesized that once consumers learn about the intricacies of food production, they would acknowledge the true value of the food they consume. As an ongoing project, Farmers and Me was and continues to be a natural extension of my passion for community engagement for social change. This project offers a social platform for people to come together and converse. The value of this project lies in the dialogue and social interaction that takes place during the production process. Farmers and Me is a result of my interactions with people in local farms and community gardens. Community involvement, participation and collaboration are key components to my art.
