Carly Boyer
Email: Carly.starsintrees@gmail.com
Title: Local Foods Local Places Program Coordinator
Organization: Bohemia Food Hub
Community: Cottage Grove, Oregon
Population: 10,302
County Served: Lane County
Meet Carly Boyer (she/they):
Carly is a 4th generation Oregonian and comes from a farming family based in the Willamette Valley. Carly found an early interest in planning and community building while attending her rural High School. She graduated with a B.A. in Planning, Public Policy and Management (PPPM) and a Minor in Nonprofit Administration at the University of Oregon as a nontraditional student. During college, Carly consulted for the City of Eugene on the future development of a Climate Resiliency Hub and completed the project management of a professional greenhouse during her internship serving Huerto de la Familia in Eugene, Oregon. Carly is passionate about advocating for food justice and supporting small family farms.
Carly is also a ‘Land Equity Fellow’ for National Young Farmers Coalition and a Board Member for Rewild Portland. She helps to organize the traditional skills gathering, ‘Echoes In Time,’ which she hosts on her family farm. Carly spends much of her free time gardening, crafting and has been known to hunt for old bottles in Oregon’s rivers. She has three cats and a rabbit.
Community and Organization:
Cottage Grove is a small town at the southernmost point of the Willamette Valley, it was incorporated in 1887 along the Applegate trail. It nests at the confluence of the Row river and the Coast Fork Willamette Rivers. This land was originally inhabited by the Cow Creek Umpqua, Kalaypuya, Siuslaw and Yoncalla First Nations people, now known as the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. Cottage Grove, then known as “Bohemia” or “Lemati,” was an early settlement that loggers and gold miners flocked to seeking riches. The Southern Pacific Railroad arrived in 1872 bringing greater industry. It is home to 6 covered bridges and has the only covered railroad bridge west of the Mississippi River. One of Carly’s favorite childhood movies, Stand by Me, filmed their iconic railroad track scenes just east of town.
Bohemia Food Hub is a newly registered nonprofit with a successful history as a for profit business featuring a shared commercial kitchen, food truck pod and small business incubator. BFH is in a rapid growth phase with technical assistance from the Local Foods Local Places program and the Rural Development Initiative. With these and other grants, BFH will expand its ability to foster rural economic development with food systems trainings, technical support and business mentorship.
Project:
As the Local Foods, Local Places Program Coordinator, Carly supports the increase of economic opportunities for low-income and immigrant communities through BFH programming. Carly assists the VeggieRx program to improve food security and public health through outreach and education. She facilitates logistics and conducts the Food Producer Assessment Survey to help implement the Local Foods, Local Places Community Action Plan, creating the foundation to launch the South Valley Farm & Food Network.