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In this powerful second episode of Of Seed and Soil: Unincorporated Voices of Food, Farming, and Freedom, host Sommer Sibilly-Brown sits down with Luca Gasperi of ARTfarm—one of St. Croix’s most beloved and resilient farms.

A second-generation farmer, Luca shares the story of his family’s legacy on the south shore of St. Croix, where they have been cultivating land since the 1960s. Together with his partner Christina Frederick-Gasperi, Luca co-founded ARTfarm, known for its heirloom vegetables, tropical fruits, and artisanal practices rooted in sustainability and care.

But in March 2025, their story took a devastating turn when a wildfire scorched over 25 acres of land, destroying crops, infrastructure, and decades of labor. In this episode, Luca and Sommer speak candidly about the power of community in recovery and resilience, and why land is not just soil, but also the memory of those that came before us.

This episode is a testament to the enduring spirit of Virgin Islands farmers—and a reminder that even through loss, the land continues to teach and remember.

Tune in every other Thursday to hear a story of endurance, soverignty, and hope from the farming community of the Virgin Islands.

Food sovereignty lives in every seed we plant and every story we share.

To learn more and support ARTfarm’s please visit https://artfarmllc.com.

To learn more about or to donate to the work of Virgin Islands Good Food visit www.goodfoodvi.org.

Subscribe and follow this channel for more episodes honoring the hands that feed us and the land that holds us.

This podcast is sponsored in part by the WildSeeds Fund.