Fledgling Farm
Fledgling Farm in Sebastopol, CA is revitalizing its soil with the support of Zero Foodprint’s Compost Connector and Healthy Soils Programs.
Photo by Zero Foodprint
Starting young
At just twenty-two years old, Alice Tibbetts has already fulfilled her longtime dream of becoming a farmer. That’s an impressive feat in agriculture, where a lack of land and capital has made farming a difficult career for young people to break into.
Growing up in small-town Massachusetts, Alice made her own path towards farming. At fourteen, she began volunteering at a horse-plowed farm, and a few years later, rotationally grazed a herd of sheep on her college campus, and even raised chickens she had ordered to her college dorm mailbox.
By the time Alice graduated, she had created an on-campus farm school and realized that farming was her purpose. “In a world where it's really hard to figure out what to do to help…in all of the areas of harm, like human health, climate health, emotional health, community support, and just my own wellbeing, it was really clear. This is what I want to do.”
Starting young meant that Alice would have to navigate a system that wasn’t designed for beginners. While Alice found organizational support, community in her own age group was harder to come by. “In a lot of ways, it’s felt like a solo journey because all my peers are in a different place than me, being twenty-two.”
“The Compost Connector has been so helpful. I order so much compost, so it has made a lot of sense for me.”
-Alice Tibbetts, Fledgling Farm
Betting the Farm
After graduation, she was able to find an affordable piece of land to lease and took the leap. “I was in a moment where I was obsessed with moving towards what felt scary, because I knew it was good for me.”
That leap became the foundation of Fledgling Farm. “It’s called Fledgling Farm because it's all about coming to the edge of your comfort zone [and] choosing to jump anyway. Just leaving the nest.”
Rather than waiting to feel fully prepared, she decided to learn by doing. “You're never going to be able to learn everything you need before you start. And every farm has a different context.”
Photo by Zero Foodprint
Breaking Ground with Regeneration
Alice’s farming philosophy is rooted in soil. While studying soil ecology, she gravitated toward regenerative practices like compost and cover cropping. “I just really like the power of living soil,” she says. “It showed me that it makes a difference in the vegetables that we eat. I want to grow the most nutrient-dense food that I can.”
A worthy goal, but far from easy. The soil on Alice’s new farm had been intensively tilled for years, making it tough for her crops to thrive. “I really needed resources to make this work, and I didn't have the money for it. That was a heartbreak.”
The solution came from none other than her favorite compost supplier, who recommended applying to Zero Foodprint’s Compost Connector Program. Through that connection, Alice also applied for the Healthy Soils Program. With funding in place, she invested in compost and straw mulch, building organic matter, supporting beneficial insects, saving water, and reducing her weeding labor on her largely one-woman farm.
“The most effective way to support the [regenerative] movement is to get money to farmers.”
Farming with Purpose
For Alice, her farm goes beyond food production. She also hosts educational programs, works with children through summer camps and school partnerships, and sees the farm as a space for community learning.
And she’s clear about what has made the biggest difference. “The most effective way to support the [regenerative] movement is to get money to farmers,” she says.
Fledgling Farm shows what’s possible when farmers are given that support, and the chance to jump.
Photo by Zero Foodprint
About Fledgling Farm
Fledgling Farm is a small, no-till produce operation founded by Alice Tibbetts on shared land at Green Valley Farm + Mill near Sebastopol, where she’s building a farm and CSA from the ground up on 1.5 acres. At just 21, Alice embraced the leap from idea to reality: choosing to farm with regenerative practices that honor soil life while making the work sustainable for the farmer.
As a young farmer, she is deeply aware of the barriers many face in accessing land and resources, and the farm reflects her commitment to community, affordability, and sustainable stewardship as she grows nutrient-dense vegetables and contributes to a broader movement to make farming viable for the next generation.
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Through Compost Connector, Zero Foodprint works with local jurisdictions to make the best use of this compost by directing it to farms and ranches where it can sequester carbon and promote healthy soil.
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Zero Foodprint and the California Department of Food and Agriculture have partnered to provide Healthy Soil Program Grants to California farmers and ranchers. Current grantees are implementing 1-3 year-long soil conservation management practices.
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Photo courtesy of Sunflower Farm Acres
Zero Foodprint (ZFP) is a nonprofit organization restoring the climate, one acre at a time. We believe that by regenerating soil, local food economies can play a critical role in reversing the global climate crisis. We work with food and beverage businesses, philanthropy, and government to bring the next dollar to implement the next regenerative practice on the next acre. This regenerative economy benefits every person who grows food, every person who sells food, and every person on this planet who eats food.
