Fiery Ginger Farm began in 2015 with the goal to transform food access for students in kindergarten through high school.

While working separately as educators in local schools a decade ago, Hope Sippola and Shayne Zurilgen witnessed a modern food desert — in their own school’s cafeterias.

Fast forward to 2015 and they connected over these shared experiences in education while attending the California Farm Academy at the Center for Land Based Learning and have been farming together ever since.

When given a chance to transform a neglected urban green space with close ties to the local community, they jumped at the opportunity and the challenge of starting an urban farm in West Sacramento.

While their award-winning farm businesses and advocacy work have taken them in many directions over the past decade, they always knew their real interest lay in providing fresh, healthy produce to local schools for student lunches.

In addition to farming, Hope and Shayne provide educational tours to the community, directly support school gardens, and are engaged as community organizers and local food advocates on top of operating Spork Food Hub - a foodservice distribution company that supplies surrounding school districts and institutions with sustainably grown and locally sourced produce and food items.

By raising awareness and promoting knowledge about food access and disparities, Fiery Ginger Farm works toward a reimagined and equitable food system: one that supports well being, educational attainment and community vitality for the next generation.

The Founders

Hope Sippola

FOUNDER

Hope Sippola is a farm-to-school leader, innovator, and educator. She has 10+ years of farming experience, specializing in intensive, small-scale mixed vegetable, pork and broiler chicken production. She has built and implemented farm-to-school programs to bring students an understanding of the environment, food systems, and nutrition. She previously worked for school garden support organizations as the Grants and Program Coordinator for Davis Farm to School.
Hope has a deep passion for connecting family farms to a stable, sustainable wholesale market and enjoys helping institutions access fresh local produce. What she finds most rewarding about her work is the cultivation of meaningful and lasting community partnerships that support the common good.

Shayne Zurilgen

FOUNDER

Shayne Zurilgen is originally from Stockton, California where he taught middle school science for many years. He spent his summers designing gardens and landscapes and later working on a cattle ranch. For seven years he was a staff member at the Boggs Tract Community Farm in Stockton. After fifteen years in the classroom, he moved to Yolo County to start a farm. While attending the California Farm Academy (Center for Land-Based Learning) he met Hope and the two started Fiery Ginger Farm. Shayne currently lives in West Sacramento with his wife Patty and young son Ryan.