Food for Good: Good Sam’s Bridgehouse Farm in Lompoc Opens Opportunities

A box full of colorful vegetables arrived on my doorstep, provided by the Good Samaritan Shelter’s Food for Good community supported agriculture (CSA) initiative. While the Good Sam name, as it is locally called, echoes across Santa Barbara County with good deeds and services for the homeless community, the farm itself has been a well-kept secret. The local farmer who made it come to life has been a longtime champion of Lompoc’s agriculture and I am among the earliest of subscribers.

Jeff Hendrickson launched Good Sam’s Bridgehouse Farm in March 2023, bringing over 31 years of his local farming experience to their team. Located on Sweeney Road in the fertile Lompoc Valley adjacent to the Bridgehouse Shelter, the 3.5-acre farm now boasts an orchard with 352 fruit trees, a wide variety of seasonal vegetables, 70 chickens and 15 ducks. Hendrickson and his volunteers have transformed the property into an abundance of fresh food, on-the-job training and work opportunities for Good Sam clients.

Two decades earlier, Hendrickson had launched his own CSA with his partner and now wife, Roxanne Renner, under their business name Santa Rita Flower Farm. The UCSB alums grew over 30 varieties of organic cut flowers, along with assorted produce. For several years, they offered the only CSA in the Lompoc Valley and I was a subscriber. They also sold their flowers and produce at Santa Barbara County farmers markets and eventually owned a retail shop in Old Town Lompoc.

Beginning with the harvest of 2008, Hendrickson was also the first employee at Flying Goat Cellars under the tutelage of Founder/Winemaker Norm Yost. For six years Cellar Master Hendrickson participated in all phases of wine production. He later dedicated himself solely to his own farming endeavors and then honed his teaching skills as the Explore Ecology Garden Educator for three Lompoc schools.

Hendrickson, who admits that he does not like the business side of farming, was thrilled to become a part of the Good Sam team as their in-house farming expert. He had previously farmed property across the road along Highway 246 so he is familiar with the unique soils, climate and other conditions in our corner of the county. More elevated than the adjacent property, Bridgehouse Farm offers very desirable fertile loamy with clay soil. Hendrickson has transformed the farm from a weed-choked, long-dormant property into a lush regenerative land of plenty.

Without the burden of running a business, Hendrickson has been able to focus on what he does best, which he describes as “growing seasonal, locally grown, pesticide-free produce and sharing my knowledge with volunteer trainees.”

Overnight shelter clients, who otherwise would be obligated to leave the farm during the day, have the opportunity to stay and learn about farming by weeding, planting, harvesting, fertilizing, and irrigating. Such activities both add purpose to a client’s day and offer a therapeutic alternative to hanging out in the nearby riverbed. Hendrickson frequently has 5-8 volunteers per day although many do not last more than a week or even a day. Volunteers can work with him for 16 hours a week in exchange for a $50 gift card.

Sylvia Barnard, who has been at the helm of Good Sam as executive director for almost 29 years, is the visionary behind the Food for Good nonprofit subsidiary. Food for Good provides clients with “locally sourced, economically efficient, nutritious food while simultaneously providing an opportunity to learn practical job skills that set our clients up for future success!”

Barnard first leased the property surrounding Bridgehouse from Santa Barbara County and then recruited Hendrickson as farm manager. The second component of Food for Good is the culinary program, which includes two commercial kitchens located in Santa Maria and Isla Vista. The culinary team prepares three organic meals a day to feed Good Sam’s clients and teaches volunteers kitchen prep and cooking. Donald Hardin is the assistant director for Food for Good, and oversees all culinary training and catering programs for Good Sam.

Barnard’s goal has always been to have a “Good Samwich” food truck. With a $150,000 grant from the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara the Good Samwich is finally being realized. In December Barnard reported, “We have ordered the food truck and it is currently being assembled. Because it is a custom build, we had to order the truck itself (new) and then have it built and will have it wrapped before it is delivered. We also are going through the permitting process.” A second truck is now on order with funding from Balay Ko Foundation.

The trucks will provide culinary training program graduates on-the-job experience in food preparation, customer service and kitchen management, as well as serve as another source of funding to further the Good Samaritan mission.

Hendrickson is proud that his farming efforts provide enough food for all Good Sam’s programs across the county and 100% of the proceeds from the CSA supports Food for Good.

The Sam Harvest Box offers several choices: Juicer Box, Large Harvest Box and Small Harvest Box including delivery in Santa Barbara County from Carpinteria to Santa Maria. There is also an option to Donate a Harvest Box and/or become a Founding Member with special benefits. Visit www.GoodSamaritanShelter.org/harvest-box for more information.

“When you subscribe, you’re not just feeding your family-you’re feeding hope,” states the website. “Each delivery supports Good Samaritan Shelter’s farm and culinary training programs, where individuals and families facing homelessness gain valuable skills while providing food for our community. Together, we reduce food waste, create opportunities, and nourish Santa Barbara County.”