Our campaign is now complete. 26 supporters helped us raise US$5,335.00
Visit the charity's profile
Welcome! We are TEAM FIELDS. Join us!
We are the farmers, the seedkeepers, the soil-smellers, the archaeologists, and the open space wanderers. We are the people who never outgrew playing in the dirt. We believe our fields can and should serve as a model for the sustainable human use of natural resources, in pursuit of maintaining a healthy ecosystem while feeding a thriving human society. Yet we also know that our fields and farmlands continue to decline in abundance and health across the state.
Team Fields is one of three teams competing in the 2020 Conservation Games, a multi-week celebration and fundraising experience to support the conservation work of Capital Region Land Conservancy in the Richmond region. Team Fields is specifically working to support the conservation of our region's open spaces, agricultural lands, and sacred grounds! You can become part of Team Fields by fundraising and participating in the free learning and volunteer events below. Help us gather as many points as possible before the Closing Ceremony on October 25th!
** NOTE: Competitors submit their own points using this form: SUBMIT POINTS **
Want to participate without donating? There are lots of ways! Sign-up for the Team Fields mailing list to earn 10 points and register for as many events below as you'd like to attend!
Opening Ceremony (10/8) REGISTER
Volunteer: Shalom Farms Harvest (10/12) REGISTER
Learn: Farms Under Threat (10/13) REGISTER
Volunteer: Conserve & Create at Bellemeade Park (10/17) REGISTER
Closing Ceremony October 25th 5:00pm-6:30pm REGISTER
Note: Competitors can earn points for attending any event, regardless of team affiliation. View the full Conservation Games schedule further below.
Heard of Hanover tomatoes? Well, Virginia is the 9th largest producer of fresh market tomatoes in the United States. Did you know that in 2016 corn produced $175,000,000 in cash receipts in Virginia and was the 8th highest grossing commodity in the state? In fact, agriculture is Virginias top industry with an economic impact of $70 billion annually and 334,000 jobs. Yet approximately 340,000 acres of agricultural land were developed over the past 20 years 50,000 acres in the Richmond region alone.
According to the US Agricultural Census, two-thirds of the agricultural land in Henrico County were lost since 1978 such that there are only 99 farms left operating on 9,820 acres. That includes Malvern Hill! The region is outpacing the rest of the Commonwealth, which was recently ranked by the American Farmland Trust in the Top 10 states for acres of agricultural land developed per new person added to the states population.
Whats more concerning is that the primary stewards of our farmlands, our farmers are 58.5 years old on average. They make less than 15 cents of every consumer dollar spent on food. Operating costs are rising and opportunities to cash out the land assets to pay for retirement are growing more enticing as industrial scale solar facilities are sprouting across the landscape.
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the fragility and inequality of our food production and distribution system that has become increasingly consolidated. At Team Fields, we seek to do more for farmland preservation and keep local farmers afloat to support our restaurants, farmers markets, and food pantries. We celebrate women who now represent 36% of all of Virginias primary farm operators. We stand for healthy and equitable food systems.
Help us build our team by inviting your family, friends, and colleagues to participate!
Opening Ceremony (10/8) REGISTER
Volunteer: Shalom Farms Harvest (10/12) REGISTER
Learn: Farms Under Threat (10/13) REGISTER
Learn: Land Use & Water Quality (10/15) REGISTER
Volunteer: Conserve & Create at Bellemeade Park (10/17) REGISTER
Volunteer: Invasive Species Removal (10/19) REGISTER
Learn: Saving the Longleaf Pine (10/20) REGISTER
Volunteer: Stream Clean-Up (Dates TBA) REGISTER
Closing Ceremony October 25th 5:00pm-6:30pm REGISTER
* Charities pay a small fee for our service. Find out how much it is and what we do for it.
