Who We Are
Our Story
At the heart of the Yolo Food Hub Network (YFHN) is a vision: to create a thriving local food system that connects farmers, ranchers, and communities across our region. This vision took a major step forward with the purchase of the historic 22,000 sq ft Oakdale Barn in Esparto, on a beautiful five-acre property acquired by New Season Community Development Corporation (NSCDC) on behalf of YFHN.
In partnership with Capay Valley Farm Shop, Yolo Food Bank, Durst Organic Growers, Spork Food Hub, Fiery Ginger Farm, Hatamiya Group, Kitchen Table Advisors, and Valley Vision, NSCDC closed escrow on the Oakdale Ranch location in Western Yolo County, south of Highway 16 between Esparto and Madison. This milestone was made possible through a grant from the Yolo County Board of Supervisors utilizing American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds.
Our Journey
2022: Laying the Groundwork
In 2022, we received a USDA planning grant to chart a strong path forward. With this support, we:
Surveyed local farmers to understand their capacity and operational needs
Developed a comprehensive marketing and financial plan to connect with institutional buyers
Provided institutional market engagement training to empower farmers
Generated recommendations and crafted a funding strategy to establish and sustain the Yolo Food Hub
2023: Securing Our Future Home
In 2023, our focus was to obtain a permanent site for the Yolo Food Hub. This goal was achieved with the purchase of the historic Oakdale Barn property in Esparto, setting the stage for construction to begin.
2024: Bringing the Vision to Life
In 2024, our priority shifted to construction, working toward the goal of completing renovations and preparing the facility for operations.
Our Partners & Network Members
New Season Community Development Corporation (NSCDC) along with Network partners Capay Valley Farm Shop (CVFS), Yolo Food Bank, Durst Organic Growers, Spork Food Hub, Fiery Ginger Farm, Hatamiya Group, Kitchen Table Advisors, and Valley Vision closed escrow on the Historic Oakdale Ranch location south of Hwy. 16 between the rural towns of Esparto and Madison in Western Yolo County. Funding for the property purchase was made possible by a grant from the Yolo County Board of Supervisors using American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds.
Looking Forward
We are building a more resilient, equitable, and vibrant food future rooted in this land we call home. The Oakdale Barn facility will anchor our efforts to support regional farms and ranches, expand market opportunities, and nourish communities with healthy, local foods for generations to come.
Our Funders
Leadership
Ave Lambert
Executive Director
As an eighth-generation Californian with deep roots in both urban and rural food movements – spanning Wai‘anae and Moloka‘i in Hawai‘i to the Tenderloin of San Francisco and South Central Los Angeles – Ave brings nearly two decades of experience supporting food-insecure families and BIPOC farmers back home to Yolo County.
Throughout their career, Ave has built regional resilience by collaborating with funders, institutions, and community partners to strengthen supply chains and expand market access, fostering thriving local economies grounded in equity, place-based sustainability, and self-determination.
A visionary leader dedicated to decolonizing the corporatized national food system, Ave uplifts models shaped by the very people who steward the land, harvest and prepare our food, and live and work nearby – communities that have long been excluded from resources and access to good, clean, and fair food.
A longtime advocate for regenerative, community-led food systems rooted in Indigenous food sovereignty, Ave has designed and scaled innovative programs across urban agriculture, culinary job training, education initiatives, research, pilot projects, civic engagement, coalition building, and statewide food policy planning. Their work bridges sectors including government, healthcare, education, and grassroots coalitions to implement closed-loop, triple-bottom-line economic models that prioritize people, planet, and prosperity.
Ave’s approach is grounded in reciprocity, regional solidarity, and a fierce commitment to reimagining community-centered, equity-driven organizations. They lead with culturally relevant, trauma-informed strategies to increase health and nutrition access in ways that nourish both land and people.
Their life’s work spans numerous organizations, including:
San Francisco’s Food Security Task Force (elected member), Los Angeles Food Policy Council and Food Equity Roundtable (member organization), California Food Policy Council, California Food Hub Network, University of Southern California: Institute for Food System Equity (Strategic Partner), Hawai’i Food Policy Council (Board member), Slow Food San Francisco (Board Member), Foodwise (Director of Education), Farming Hope (Program Director), FEAST (Food Education Access Support Together - Executive Director).
For a full list of Ave’s affiliations and impact, visit their LinkedIn profile.