Who we Are
Sole Food Street Farms is an internationally recognized social enterprise that transforms vacant urban land into street farms. Our mission is to empower individuals with limited resources by providing jobs, agricultural training, and inclusion in a supportive community of farmers and food lovers.
Michael Ableman is a farmer, author, photographer and urban and local food systems advocate. Michael has been farming organically since the early 1970s and is considered one of the pioneers of the organic farming and urban agriculture movements. He is a frequent lecturer to audiences all over the world, and the winner of numerous awards for his work. Ableman is the author of five trade published books: On Good Land: The autobiography of an urban farm; Fields of Plenty: A farmer’s journey in search of real food and the people who grow it; Farm The City, and Street Farm: Growing Food, Jobs, and Hope on the Urban Frontier. In addition to being the co-founder and director of Sole Food Street Farms, Michael Ableman also founded of the Center for Urban Agriculture at Fairview Gardens in Goleta, California where he farmed for 20 years, and the Centre for Arts, Ecology and Agriculture based at his family home and farm on Salt Spring Island.
Despite Heather’s last name, she’s one of our few non-farming team members. Heather is responsible for the day-to-day management and advancement of Sole Food Street Farms and Cultivate Canada Society’s missions. She joined the farm in the winter of 2022 with a background in non-profit and project management, communications and community organizing. There’s nothing Heather loves more than the coming together of community through shared food and stories.
Michael Passalacqua is the Director of Farm Operations at Sole Food Street Farms. Before settling in Vancouver, Michael worked as a farmer throughout New England where they co-founded a small pork and vegetable farm outside of Albany, NY. Michael brings eight seasons of agricultural experience to the team at Sole Food.
Marcia served on the board of the Vancouver Farmers’ Markets Society, taught as a sessional lecturer in UBC’s Faculty of Land and Food System and worked in the university’s Development Office for several years. As a fundraiser at UBC, Marcia was passionate about her work to help establish The Centre for Sustainable Food Systems at UBC Farm. Marcia holds an M.Sc. in Integrated Studies in Land and Food Systems from UBC.