Keynote: April Thatcher
On our farms and in our food system organizations, how do we affect meaningful change? How can we work to dismantle the damaging, growth-at-all-cost social structures rooted in colonialism and racism that keep us isolated and making decisions from places of scarcity and fear? And in the face of such a relentless challenge, how do we care for our personal and collective wellbeing?
Farm to Heart is a four year old food justice initiative in continuous creation by the farmers, families, and community members it serves. Join co-founder and farmer April Jones Thatcher as she shares the origin story of the Farm to Heart collaboration, highlights the unique structure of this model, and explains the practical elements and guiding philosophies that nurture its successful evolution. Come walk in April’s boots, and learn how the Farm to Heart community is resisting business-as-usual to reimagine a food system that nourishes, inspires, and works to build resilience equitably.
About the Speaker
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April Thatcher
April Joy Farm
April Jones Thatcher is the founder and farmer of April Joy Farm, a diversified crop and livestock farm in Southwest Washington. Her WSDA certified organic and Animal Welfare Approved farm has served her community since 2008 through an innovative choice-based CSA model. In 2019, she co-founded Farm to Heart, a food justice initiative determined to dismantle barriers for families experiencing food insecurity, while supporting the viability and well-being of a growing network of regional farmers. April has an undergraduate degree in civil engineering and an M.B.A. in entrepreneurship. She currently serves on the board of Organic Farming Research Foundation. In 2023, she received the Organic Trade Association’s Organic Farmer of the Year Leadership Award.