Long Beach Farms
Around the time of the city’s founding in the late 19th century, Long Beach was a seaside agricultural town, with sheep farms, sugar beet fields, and other crops and livestock playing a major role in the city’s economy. Temperate sunny weather year round provided an ideal environment for farming, and the first farmers market was up and running in the downtown area by 1913. Today, local residents and farmers are keeping this legacy alive in urban farms and gardens throughout the city.
Farm Lot 59
Established in 2010 by Sasha Kanno, Farm Lot 59 (2714 California Ave.) is a nonprofit urban farm that grows and sells fresh cut flowers to support its fruit and vegetable crops that are donated to local food pantries. The seasonal flower stand sells bouquets, wreaths, and flower seeds, and the farm hosts regular tours, classes, yoga sessions, and farm-to-table dinners. The farm’s name comes from the 185 numbered farm lots sold in the late 19th century and later subdivided into residential lots, except for Lot 59, which remained unused due to its unusual topography.
ORGANIC HARVEST GARDENS
Chef Rod Dodd is the owner of Organic Harvest Gardens (6751 Atlantic Ave.), an urban farm in North Long Beach. The farm supplies produce to local restaurants, raises poultry and livestock, donates to local food banks and organizations working to address food insecurity, and serves as an educational resource for local students. Chef Rod hosts several farm dinners that are open to the public–including a popular annual Black History Month Dinner–providing an opportunity for people to tour the farm, taste dishes created with ingredients grown on site, and connect with their community.
SOWING SEEDS OF CHANGE
Sowing Seeds of Change (620 San Francisco Ave.) is a local nonprofit that operates an urban farm in Long Beach’s Willmore neighborhood. The farm is an agricultural education and vocational training site for young adults with disabilities and transition-age foster youth, teaching organic farming techniques and other skills that support sustainable agriculture. SSC also offers classes and workshops in gardening and food growing for community members of all ages and skill levels.
THE GROWING EXPERIENCE
The Growing Experience (750 E. Via Carmelitos) is an urban farm operated by The Maye (meditation, agriculture, yoga, and education) Center, which offers programs to help people in Long Beach – primarily the Cambodian community – to heal from trauma. The Growing Experience’s farm stand sells fresh seasonal produce on Saturdays from 11AM to 2PM.
LONG BEACH ORGANIC
Long Beach Organic was founded by local environmentalist Captain Charles Moore, who is also known for discovering the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in the tropical Pacific Ocean. The nonprofit operates nine community gardens in the city, transforming vacant lots into garden space for residents to grow their own produce. LBO also offers gardening workshops, volunteer opportunities for scout troops, and internships, and donates produce to alleviate food insecurity.
HERITAGE FARM
In 2023, local restaurant Heritage (2032 E. 7th St.) earned the first Michelin star in Long Beach for their farm-to-table cuisine. Their dedication to sustainability is evident in their zero-waste Green- and Blue-Certified kitchen, and the restaurant grows seasonal produce and herbs used in its dishes at a farm site just over a mile away. Heritage Farm (1336 Gladys Ave) includes a chicken coop, Santa Maria-style grill, and wood-burning oven. The long outdoor dining table and a stylish indoor space for socializing are perfect for hosting private events.