Episode 450 · June 1, 2019
450: Katie Crichtley on Building a Farm Community
Farming with an eye on the future.
In this episode
Katie is the Farm Director of The Farm at Agritopia and a long time resident of the nationally recognized and award winning “agrihood” at Agritopia. She is a founding board member of The Johnston Family Foundation for Urban Agriculture, which is committed to promoting and preserving Urban Agriculture throughout the State of Arizona.
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She has also been a part of the development team at Johnston Properties maintaining and expanding their commercial holdings. Her last role at Johnston Properties was co-project manager for the award winning craftsman community, Barnone located in Agritopia.
The home purchase was going to be a stretch, but she could not escape the pull. After several visits, Katie Critchley took the leap and this farming community is much more than she expected. The appeal was so strong that her extended family joined her as well. She found herself becoming more and more involved and eventually became the Farm Director at a truly integrated farming community. A one sentence description is impossible – you must hear this podcast to understand, and you’ll be wanting to visit Agritopia very soon!
- Looking for a new home and visiting a unique farming community 13 times before buying
- Being a resident in this special farming
- Working with the family that owned the property to build up property
- Three goals
- wanted the property to be a legitimate, producing, working urban farm
- wanted it to be beautiful
- wanted to educate others
- Moving into a 501c3 to help meet the goals and set it up to continue forward
- Getting asked to be the Farm Director
- Stats on the Agritopia farming community
- She has 4 generations living in the community and there are other family groups like that too
- How the farm is integrated into the community
- She describes the farm
- Looking forward to ways they can grow while still meeting the 3 pillars
- The restaurants and businesses in an 8000 square feet space that work together as a micro community
- How she feels living and working in this community
As well as
Her failure – a time the greenhouse was running during the summer, and the water source was a well which went down on a weekend she was gone
Her success – Allowing people to do what they are passionate about
Her drive – seeing the magic that is happening and knowing that it can grow 10x bigger
Her advice – Go with your gut, find something you are passionate about, and go for it.
A recipe submitted by Katie
Katie’s Book recommendations
The Farm on the Roof: What Brooklyn Grange Taught Us About Entrepreneurship, Community, and Growing a Sustainable Business
How to reach Katie
Website: www.TheFarmAtAgritopia.com
Instagram: @agritopiafarm
Facebook: @TheFarmAtAgritopia
Email: Katie@agritopia.com
UrbanFarm.org/agritopia
Special thanks to our sponsors:Visit gemplers.com/urbanfarm (use code URBANFARM01)
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