Five Questions for Our Name is Farm

Tell us about the work that you do.
Our Name is Farm is a digital media and event production company that works exclusively with sustainable food growers, producers and supporters. At the forefront of our priorities is a solid social mission that focuses on education and accessibility. As such, we approach our business with the same mentality, hoping that every project we pick up - whether for profit or not - helps further those causes. Our specialty in digital media is video production, and our event concept curation always begins with focusing on community building and engagement.

We have worked with some of the best organizations in the farming, food media, and hospitality industries to try and achieve our goal of enabling more access to sustainably produced and transparently sourced food and drink products (check our website for a list of our partners).
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A crucial component of our business is helping smaller and larger companies with their sourcing operations, ensuring that the products they provide for their clients fit the standards that they require. We prefer to work with local producers whenever possible but are big fans of supporting regional producers across the US if not.

What are the most fulfilling and most challenging parts of what you do?
The most fulfilling part of what we do is knowing that we are really making changes, even if just on a small level, and are hopeful to do so on a mass level sometime in the near future. We sincerely rely on the cooperation of our community, and this process is even more gratifying, knowing that we are all in this together.

The most challenging part of what we do is getting people to realize how important this mission truly is. Unfortunately, the local food movement has only recently begun to open its doors to a more generalized community, but up until then it was truly only accessed by a small group of people who were educated and had a lot of time and money to support such causes. As such, there are negative stigmas associated with the movement, and the general opinion is that it remains inaccessible to most. New measures have been put into place by the US government over the last few years (such as adding EBT stations to farmers markets across the country) that have really allowed this movement to grow and expand to include people from all socioeconomic backgrounds.

The second major challenge we face is purely infrastructural, in that it is truly difficult for small farmers, producers, and supporters to find reliable, efficient, and cheap delivery options for their products and/or purchases. The farming and hospitality industries could really benefit from larger companies, with existing ample infrastructure, stepping up to the plate and helping to find solutions for this broken system. It is much more preferable to bring another truck in from the Hudson Valley than from California to NYC, for example.

However, at the same time, you have resistance from smaller companies and organizations that are shunning the larger corporations for their involvement in the current system. It's quite unfortunate, because it will take both sides realizing how they truly need each other to make this work. It's just a whole new, sustainable way to approach this broken food system we have, and not everyone is seeing eye to eye yet. 

Describe a moment or situation that helped you realize your passion.
There are three very crucial moments in ONIF's history that are defining moments in how the business grew from concept to actuality.

The first would be the time we received our first official invitation to a farm. It was a lavender farm, and the farmer met us at his Union Square Greenmarket booth, and we visited his farm on Long Island and fell in love with what we had discovered. We kept going ever since.

The second moment would be the first time we were offered a paid gig. We quickly realized this hobby of ours could become a full time job, and it motivated the hell out of us. We thought out of the box and pushed harder until we had the confidence (read: blind ambition) of two young ladies, determined to quit their jobs in pursuit of something greater.

The third moment would be when we fully incorporated in 2015. It gave us a sense of legitimacy and pride that were certainly missing from the equation previously.

What advice do you have for people looking for meaningful work?
Meaningful work is hard work. It may not feel like work because you're passionate about it, but it's very easy to get lost in the hustle of doing what you love. Remember to care for yourself, care about the people around you that support and love you, and lead by example. Do what you love, but let it consume you in moderation. 

What’s one thing you think everyone should know how to do?
Everyone should know how to cook. Cooking for yourself is an expression of freedom and independence. Cooking for others is an expression of love and compassion. Cooking, in general, offers sustenance, abundance, and an opportunity to engage with others and/or yourself in a meaningful way. It benefits the individual, the group, and the community.