An Invitation.

For the last few months, I've been really excited to be working with some folks in the community towards forming a food policy council for our city and county. This is the continuation of work that I've been doing in the community gardening realm for over 12 years now, and it feels like a culmination of many years of work among many people and groups. I feel really grateful about the critical mass of individuals in our community who realize that a true foodtopia (as the Asheville Convention and Visitors Bureau calls us) is one in which ALL people have access to affordable, nutritious, culturally appropriate food, not just those that can afford dinner at a farm-to-table restaurant. A true foodtopia is also one in which the food supply is local and sustainable, which makes us more self-reliant as a community. (this is referred to by the term Food Sovereignty).

The process we went through this summer led to the creation of a White Paper that makes a recommendation for a Food Policy Council. I and City Councilman Gordon Smith will be presenting this paper at two different venues in September: on the 16th as a part of the Eat Smart, Move More conference on the campus of UNCA, and at the Burton Street Agricultural Fair taking place on September 24th. We hope you will join in the conversation, and lend your voice to help form a cohesive way forward in regards to poverty, public health, local commerce, and sustainability through food security.

Check out the Press Release here, and read the entire White Paper here.
I think it will work, if we work together.

Three Newsletters of Note.

Hey Friends, I would like to spread the word about three newsletters this week I find to be interesting:
1)Short Street Cakes- our sort-of monthly email newsletter, including info on Summer Old School Cake School and other upcoming events;
2)Slow Food Asheville, with a really interesting article about the recent Indigenous Terra Madre Summit in Jokkmokk, Sweden: "Delegates shared their stories about keeping food traditions alive and fighting to maintain rights to self determination, land, and water. Observers, like me, learned how they can be allies to indigenous communities as they (like many of us) seek to decolonize their food traditions and ensure their food cultures are taken up by the next generations." Word.
3)Community Food Security Coalition. This email is chock full of really dense and really relevant food policy information at the federal level. Just in case you are a big dork like me and you enjoy reading stuff like that.

Rites of Spring!

On Sunday, May 1st, at the French Broad Food Coop in downtown Asheville, from 4 to 10 pm, Bountiful Cities, Asheville’s urban agriculture and sustainability organization, and French Broad Food Coop, Asheville’s community-owned natural grocery store, will co-host Rites of Spring, an outdoor celebration of spring featuring food, beer, wine, live music, children’s activities, and an old-fashioned Maypole dance celebration!
May Day has a rich history. It began as an ancient celebration of fertility and new growth, and, more recently, is known as International Worker’s Day, celebrating organized labor movements all over the world. The communities that make up Bountiful Cities and French Broad Food Coop think that it’s the perfect holiday to celebrate 35 years of our community-owned grocery store and 10 years of community-based urban agriculture in Asheville!
Colorful Palate will cater the event with savory veggie sides and Hickory Nut Gap Farm and Carolina Bison Meats. Miss Glo and David A will pour tasty brews from Wedge and Pisgah Breweries, as well as wine from Marco’s Pizzeria and French Broad Food Coop, and Short Street Cakes will provide cupcakes. Festivities begin with a May Day ceremony at 4pm. Music opens with the May Day chorus at 5pm, followed by Jason Daniello of Clouds of Greer playing a solo set at 6pm, Shane Perlowin of the Aleuchatistas playing a solo set at 7:15, and Silver Machine headlining at 8:30.
Wristbands to drink are $2 and drinks are by donation. Food is $10 per ticket and kids eat free with purchase of adult ticket.
Proceeds from the event will go to paying Bountiful Cities’ last mortgage payment on the Pearson Drive Community Garden in Montford. The mission of Bountiful Cities is “to create, on urban land, beautiful community spaces that produce food in abundance and foster a learning environment for social justice and sustainability.”
Other sponsors include Marco’s Pizzeria, Jack’s Boxes, Asheville Grown Business Alliance, and Peter Parpan illustration and design.
Rain Location is the pavilion at the Pearson Drive Community Garden in Montford.

NOLA Dispatch Part II: Edible Schoolyard New Orleans

I also had the opportunity this week to visit Samuel J. Green Charter School, the home of The Edible Schoolyard New Orleans. ESY NOLA's website explains that:

based on the original Edible Schoolyard founded in Berkeley, California by chef and food education activist Alice Waters, ESY NOLA provides students with engaging hands-on learning experiences through weekly gardening and cooking classes and school-based seasonal events that promote the food traditions of New Orleans. Students in grades K-8 participate in lessons that reinforce classroom coursework and core subjects (science, social studies, language, and math). At the Edible Schoolyard, the garden and kitchen are interactive venues where textbook lessons come to life. Through these experiences, students become stewards or our land and natural resources, and discover that teamwork yields genuine benefits in the garden, kitchen, and in life.

The work of teaching the connections between growing food, cooking fresh food, and preserving cultural food traditions is important everywhere, but couldn't be more critical in this city where most residents do not have access to supermarkets, and where, since Katrina, and now the BP disaster, residents are justifiably worried about the quality of their air, water, and soil.

The garden at Samuel Green.




A bower laden with grapevines frames the entrance from the school building into the garden.


Garden teacher Rahn Broady teaches students how to grow food as a part of the school's math, science, social studies and language curricula.

The lush demonstration garden at Samuel J. Green is planted in sunflowers, eggplant, garlic, canteloupe, basil, perennials, zinnias, strawberries, and okra, among many other crops. The harvest is used in the Edible Kitchen, where Chef April Neujean teaches students how to prepare culturally appropriate, nutritional dishes from the yield. April was also recently chosen to help Michelle Obama design the "Chefs Move to Schools" initiative. The Edible Schoolyard New Orleans is one example of how this resilient and beautiful city is empowering itself towards food security in the face of uncertainty, and serves as a model for other communities to do the same.

Core Values of the Bountiful Cities Project

As a member of the Board of Directors of the Bountiful Cities Project (and having been active in this organization for 9 years), I spent time last week with the rest of the board and staff to develop our organization; as a part of our ongoing strategic planning process, we identified four core values that guide our work as an organization. These values were inspiring to me, and I wanted to share them with you. This is the work of BCP- to work with communities in Asheville to enliven community self-reliance through urban agriculture.

Our work is guided by commitments to four key values of Community, Social Justice, Education, and Sustainability. I believe that challenging our assumptions about what these words mean, and working to live in integrity with these goals, just might be what brings about the much-needed healing that is possible in our communities and society.

Community
Healthy communities consist of: shared and diverse cultures, cooperation, safety, support, health, respect, trust, self-reliance, and love; within and among individuals, families, and groups. Bountiful Cities is committed to fostering healthy human relationships by nurturing these community values.


Social Justice
Bountiful Cities is committed to ending oppression based on race, class, gender, culture, age, religion, and sexuality and to creating social justice by honoring and practicing cooperation and mutual respect.

Education
Education is a lifelong process involving the shared exchange of knowledge and experience. Bountiful Cities is committed to supporting this shared exchange by role modeling, and by providing inspiring events, programming, and experiential education.

Sustainability
Sustainability is the equal balance between environmental health, social equity, and economic viability. Bountiful Cities is committed to sustainability through integrated food systems, food security, food production and job creation.



Happy New Year, Y'all.
xo
Jodi

2nd Annual Food security Forum December 5th!