Barnraiser: Modern Barn Raising for Sustainable Pioneers
A traditional barn raising called upon members of a community to physically help raise up a barn. Well, a modern barn raising still needs a community to survive, but instead of physical strength, budding farmers need funds… and donators with computers. That’s why Barnraiser, a crowd-funding site for people who enjoy supporting innovators who educate others about health and grow great food, is a much-needed addition to the crowd-funding landscape.
Branraiser was founded by Eileen Gordon to help people build a “sustainable food future for all families.” The site gives “food and farming innovators” a chance to raise money and in turn, build a farming business that will inevitably help feed a community. The site supports a number of different kinds of farming projects across the United States.
While Barnraiser allows people to create and fund projects, it also contains additional information for people who support the healthy food movement. Site visitors also can influence and impact the food movement in a number of different ways:
– By joining the community: Site community members are encouraged to share projects with like-minded people who also are interested in supporting a healthy environment.
– By reading: The site often posts profiles about people in the sustainable food community.
While the site is obviously dedicated to funding farms (all projects must seek at least $2,000) it also funds other projects that perpetuate and support healthy food, as well:
– Farms and Food Hubs (urban farming, small and family farms, and more)
– Community-Based Projects (food justice, community gardens, and more)
– Artisan, Local, Farm-to-Table, Healthy Foods (craft spirits / beer, cafes, and more)
– Food and Farming Education (educational farms, school gardens, and more)
– Food Media (Art, Books, Television, mobile applications, and more)
While Barnraiser wants all projects to be locally focused, it also asks that the project makers have a broad reach and a tangible goal.
Would you ever consider using a crowd-funding site? Have you ever backed a crowd-funding project? Would you use Barnraiser?
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Image: B Garrett
