Santa Fe, NM -- (ReleaseWire) -- 09/23/2014 --Gaia Gardens, a nonprofit certified organic farm, has been operating on a leased parcel of land in Santa Fe since 2012. With the support of a large group of friends and neighbors, they have turned a parched and neglected landscape into a colorful urban oasis, cultivating a large parcel of land in the middle of town and galvanizing a powerful community around it.

This 3.5-acre rental property is now threatened with foreclosure.

"To preserve this unique piece of land, continue our educational mission and provide affordable housing for future generations, we have created the Mil Abrazos (One Thousand Hugs) Community Land Trust, a nonprofit, to purchase the farm property." says Poki Piottin, director of the land trust.

A Community Land Trust is a nonprofit membership organization that owns and holds land “in trust” for the benefit of the community in order to provide permanently affordable access to land for such purposes as quality housing, sustainable agriculture, cottage industries and co-operatives, by forever removing the land from the speculative market.

In order to purchase the farm property, an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign was launched on Sept. 5. Campaign will run until Oct 15, 2014.

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About Gaia Gardens
Initiated in 2012, Gaia Gardens is a Certified Organic nonprofit farm and educational center. We teach and demonstrate urban farming, incorporating Biodynamic and Permaculture practices.

Through internships, we invite aspiring young farmers into an urban local food model where thoughtful work helps them develop skills and values that may apply to many areas of their lives. We introduce them to a viable economic livelihood for the future of food.

Gaia Gardens currently sustains itself by selling produce, plant starts, earthworms, compost tea and seeds at the Santa Fe Farmers Market, by running a small CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) and supplying several local restaurants. Gaia Gardens works with local school gardens and provides them with seeds, plants and expertise.

During our three years as a nonprofit educational urban farm, we have hosted numerous civic organizations dealing with at-risk youth, homeless and differently-abled individuals, and those recovering from addictions.

Gaia Gardens is a nonprofit project fiscally-sponsored by the New Mexico Community Foundation, a 501(c) 3.