Dartmouth Nonprofit Will ‘Manifest Love’ with New Food Truck

A new SouthCoast food truck is hitting the streets, and it’s one of a kind.

Round the Bend Farm is a Dartmouth based non-profit organization that has been operating on their 115 acre farm since 2013.

On Wednesday, the organization announced its brand new project that will bring healthy food paired with education to local communities.

Around the Bend farm

The message of Round the Bend Farm is very clear: education in sustainability.

“We live by the values ​​of hope and abundance,” said Desa VanLaarhoven, executive director of Round the Bend Farm.

It is a working farm that aims to educate the public on how to lead a lifestyle that respects and works with the environment and uses the resources that nature offers for its “highest good”.

The Manifest Love Project

“We grow an enormous amount of food and we give away a lot of it,” said VanLaarhoven. “When the pandemic hit, we knew we had to grow more.”

VanLarrhoven and her team decided to convert some of their grazing fields into vegetable gardens. After consulting with community leaders and working with organizations like Youth Opportunities Unlimited, YWCA and Northstar Learning Centers, Round the Bend Farm began to grow more food and get it into the hands of families who needed it most.

The Manifest Love Project was born.

“We fed around 120 to 150 families every week,” said VaanLaarhoven.

For the past three years, Round the Bend has been able to educate the public about the importance of healthy habits by instilling its three mantras: Appreciating Diversity, Modeling Nature, and Redefining Prosperity.

Her food truck adventure begins when she is four years old.

The Round the Bend Food Truck

Sean Vaan Larrhoven has long dreamed of integrating a food truck. Sean is Desa’s brother and seeing her brother’s dream come true brings her to tears.

“This is something bigger than us,” she said. “It feels so incredible to be able to do that, and it’s all because of Sean.”

Sean’s dream is slowly coming to life and he can’t wait to get started.

“As a queer transgender person of color, able to live to this age and have others believe in me enough to make this 10-year dream of owning a food truck come true, I am truly grateful and excited to be part of it to manifest love in communities and bringing people together through food,” he said.

So when can I check out this food truck?

Round the Bend Food Truck plans are taking shape. An official launch date has not yet been set as the non-profit organization finalizes its plans for operations.

“Sometimes (the food truck) is free, sometimes it’s paid for what you can, sometimes it’s paid for in cash, but it’s always sustainable, socially fair, locally sourced, farm fresh and served with love,” said Van Laarhoven.

The VaanLaarhovens look forward to participating in food truck events and spreading their message to even more communities.

“I really believe that every cell in our body depends on the food we put in it, the water we drink, the thoughts in our head, every single cell depends on it,” she said. “If we can help people and educate them about why they should eat that kale or why they should choose the spinach, then I feel like we’re winning.”

Stay tuned for the official launch of this revolutionary project, and in the meantime, enjoy the Official Round the Bend Cookbook.