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www.deltalivingmagazine.com
January – March
Story and photos by Jeff Forbes
N
estled in the idyllic foothills of Mount
Diablo in Clayton, CA, Buttercup
Farms provides a myriad of opportunities for
volunteers to work in an agricultural setting,
interact with horses and learn about organic
farming.
But more than that, the farm is a place of
transformation.
Founded by John Qualtrough in 1986 as
a breeding farm for Arabian racehorses, But-
tercup Farms provided a place of refuge and
growth for a teenager struggling with anorexia.
When various institutions were unsuc-
cessful, her parents brought her to Butter-
cup Farms where she found the love and
support of a nurturing community that met
her personal needs and helped her make a
full recovery.
Since then, the farm has been a place where
hundreds of people from all walks of life have
been able to make positive and lasting changes
in their lives.
Today Buttercup Farms still has a few hors-
es, but the main activity is the operation of a
small-scale organic garden.
Qualtrough joked about the farms’ trans-
formation over the years.
“We rst brought in horses, as this gave a
common point of reference for people from
many di erent backgrounds and age groups,”
said Qualtrough. “Several years later we had
lots of horse manure, so a natural use was to
start an organic farm.”
That garden continues to serve the diverse
needs of its volunteers by providing a sense of
community, belonging and the opportunity to
grow as individuals while they work together
on various projects. One such project was the
creation of a community-supported agricul-
ture (CSA), which launched in June of 2012.
The CSA gave volunteers a chance to build
a local market garden and grow produce they
could share with the community.The natural
progression to a garden also t in with the de-
sire to continue to help people.
“The garden is a gentle way to engage the
world. It is a positive part of our larger com-
munity and a place where all can participate in
some way,” Qualtrough added.
Despite the many evolutions of the farm,
the one constant is a safe environment for
people to grow and build a better life.You can
learn more about the farm and volunteer op-
portunities at www.buttercupfarms.org.
Helping People Help Themselves...
Not Just Horsin’ Around
(L-R) Damonte Black, Awana Morris, Anthony Stallworth, Delbert Stallworth, Jamiah Wade and Uzoma Ugof.
Lucio Hepfer, one of Buttercup’s newest volunteers,
studies graphic design at Diablo Valley College in
Pleasant Hill.