KELCURT Farms, the food security arm of KELCURT Foundation, announces the ribbon cutting ceremony for their third offsite agricultural center featuring a hoop house sponsored by Woodmenlife at 2 p.m. this Saturday at 606 Lee Pike in Soddy-Daisy.
“Partnering with the Kelcurt foundation and volunteering at the Soddy Daisy Community Library has given me the opportunity to experience this foundation’s total commitment to the Soddy Daisy community,” said Kayte Locke, a Woodmenlife representative and volunteer at the Soddy Daisy Community Library.
“Their commitment to elevating our community through helping to eliminate food insecurity, increasing literacy and a sense of overall community is something I am proud to be a part of.”
"Samantha and her husband Josh Parsons donated the land at 606 Lee Pike for KELCURT Farms to build on the property establishing this 10 ft. by 20 ft. house focused on cucumber production," officials said.
KELCURT Farms is partnering with the Soddy Daisy Food bank and 10 percent of everything produced is donated directly to the food bank to provide fresh vegetables to those in need.
The first hoop house contains 104 Heirloom Cherokee Purple Tomato plants, the second property holds 56 pumpkin and 100 okra plants and is about to expand to produce event more.
“We are excited for this third farm to come online,” said Curtis Wayne Cecil, president of KELCURT Foundation and Agriculturalist with KELCURT Farms. “It already has 46 English Cucumber plants with another 72 starting to cycle into the production line. Woodmenlife has fully funded the building and maintenance of the Parson Hoop House, and we are
excited to partner with them to help end food insecurity in our community.”
Ms. Locke said, “I am grateful for the Woodmenlife national community’s focus of fighting hunger in our local communities, which allows me to partner with KELCURT farms to bring fresh produce to our community. Having lived and volunteered in the Soddy Daisy community for almost 20 years, I have seen firsthand the need for programs like these in our community."
KELCURT Foundation partners with local and national companies to bring needed programs and services to the Soddy Daisy area. Their library serves residents of all seven surrounding counties. KELCURT Farms goal is to have either one large farming property of a few acres, or up to 20 of these hoop houses that all interconnect to help feed the residents of Soddy-Daisy.
Mr. Cecil said that he is estimating 1,000 lbs. of tomatoes for agricultural center number one, and about 420 lbs. of cucumbers in the new hoop house they will be celebrating Saturday.
KELCURT Farms is currently working on a program to bring a community garden project to the city of Soddy-Daisy as well.
The KELCURT Foundation is a local non-profit organization focused on agriculture, community and education. It is the builder of the Soddy-Daisy Community Library.