By the Staff Writers of OnlineColleges.net

Like Cypher enjoying a juicy steak in The Matrix, ignorance is bliss when it comes to our food. For years we have been eating products without knowing where they came from, how they were grown (or created), or how they got to us. But lately it has been really hard to stay ignorant. Michael Pollan and Food, Inc. have shown us the ugly truth of how unsustainable and unhealthy our food practices are. College campuses, historically on the forefront of social change, are leading the way toward a greener America. Of the many schools across the country enacting some kind of green activities, here are 10 colleges growing their own food.

1. College of the Atlantic In 1999, two COA alumni donated a 73-acre farm to the school. Since then, Beech Hill Farm has been providing the campus with fresh, organic produce while educating the community on sustainable farming. Atlantic students can conduct their own studies or final projects on the farm, or spend classes in organic gardening on its six acres of certified-organic farming land. At the Beech Hill farm stand you’ll find plenty of fresh veggies like artichokes, herbs, and carrots to stock your dorm-room fridge.
2. Green Mountain College They don’t call it Green Mountain for nothing. At this liberal arts school in Vermont, students come to Cerridwen Farm to learn how to harvest hay without tractors, drive oxen, butcher livestock, and shear sheep, not to mention grow organic produce. Food growing began at Green Mountain in 1997 with a half-acre garden, but today the four-acre farm provides food for the campus dining halls and reuses food waste from the very same halls as compost to grow more produce. The farm also produces its own pickles, eggs, honey, and coming soon, milk.
3. Saint Joseph’s College of Maine Here on the shores of Sebago Lake in Standish, students are tackling the issue of sustainability on two different fronts. Their one-acre garden was started in 2008 to contribute food to both the school cafeteria and Catherine’s Cupboard, St. Joe’s food pantry. The farm also raises turkeys, chickens, and sheep. To keep the dining halls supplied with fresh bok choy, herbs, radishes, and peas through the New England winters, the school grew vegetables in two “hoop houses” and in the basement of the marketing building under grow lights.
4. Deep Springs College Very little of the college experience at Deep Springs is typical. The student body is 26 men (although women will soon be admitted for the first time). This school in the California desert was founded in 1917 to make young men well-rounded citizens, with manual labor supplementing their academics. Today the school grows 350 tons of pesticide-free alfalfa, most of which it feeds to its 300 head of cattle that are herded by student cowboys. The men also work the school’s garden and farm, tending a fruit orchard, a greenhouse, 100 rows of vegetables, and a chicken coop.
5. Wilson College The Fulton Center for Sustainable Living is the heart of green activity at Wilson College in Pennsylvania. The Fulton Farm covers seven acres and is devoted to environmental sustainability. That means no pesticides or fertilizers and minimal use of non-renewables. Like many schools, Wilson participates in a CSA (community supported agriculture) to train locals about green farming and provide them with organic food options. The farm also supplies the dining hall on campus with whatever crops are in season. Cherry tomatoes are a particular student favorite.
6. Duke University Duke is a newcomer to campus agriculture, but its first year was a very successful one. Students built the project from the ground up around the slogan “One Year, One Acre.” The year was 2011, and the one acre produced 5,000 pounds of produce. Volunteer students did it all with only one piece of machinery: a rototiller that they plan to stop using as they strive to become even more eco-friendly. As it is, they use no harsh chemicals on their crops, which they grow year-round. There are leafy greens in the spring, tomatoes and watermelon in the summer, and pumpkins and acorn squash in the fall before they move the operation into the hoop house for the winter.
7. Warren Wilson College Warren Wilson has been green since before Al Gore was a twinkle in his father’s eye. Students from the school have run a farm in the Swannanoa Valley of North Carolina since 1894. The crops rotate among alfalfa, corn, soybeans, and grains that are fed to the farm’s hogs and chickens. They also boast 100% grass-fed cattle. On campus, students tend a three-acre organic garden of veggies, fruits, and flowers, plus an apple orchard and three hoop houses, with the help of two Belgian workhorses. Because the school requires 15 hours of campus service per week, the garden is never short of workers.
8. Berea College Berea is another college that has been growing food for more than a century. A 1.5-acre garden was set up on campus way back in 1871. Over the years, tobacco was dropped as a crop, the garden expanded to five acres, and in 1998 it became fully organic. Today the main crops are mushrooms, herbs, greens, and honey. For a small fee, members of the community can rent plots in the garden to grow their own food. On the nearly 500-acre Berea College Farm, students raise corn, soybeans, wheat, grass, turnips, and hay, which is used to feed the cattle, goats, and pigs the farm also houses.
9. Cornell University The Dilmun Hill Student Farm has been Cornell’s place for sustainable, organic farming for more than 10 years. Student volunteers seek to engage the student body with the farm as much as possible, putting on work parties so that students can try their hands at farming, and by providing Cornell Dining with fresh produce at certain times of the year. Cornell also produces food in the lab through its hydroponics and aquaponics programs. Working with a local high school, a professor from Cornell oversees the growth of up to 8,000 pounds of tilapia grown through sustainable aquaculture methods.
10. Rutgers University At five acres, Rutgers claims to have the largest organic student-run farm in the country. That’s not really the case, but it’s no lie that sustainability is alive and well at Rutgers. The farm was started in 1993 as a CSA operation.
    Students grow everything from chard, kale, fennel, and eggplant to herbs like catnip, chamomile, and chives. Much of the farm’s produce is donated to low-income families and charities. Under the Garden of Eden campaign, students involved with the farm spread the message of organic food on campus. Each Wednesday, lettuce grown by students is available for purchase in the Neilson Dining Hall.

Editor’s Note: This article was submitted for publication by the staff writers of OnlineColleges.net. What schools do you know who grow their own food? There are several in CT!

CT NOFA’s Winter Conference Welcomes Families, Farmers and Foodies

March 3, 2012

8:30 am – 4:30 pm

Manchester Community College

Manchester, CT

The Northeast Organic Farming Association of Connecticut (CT NOFA) announces its 30^th Annual Winter Conference, an important day or learning and sharing for farmers, gardeners, locavores, homesteaders and anyone interested in sustainable living. The conference features workshops (listed in detail below), internationally-celebrated speakers, and the largest local-sustainable food potluck lunch you’ve ever seen. (Yes, attendees are expected to bring a dish to share. No stress; we’ll be posting recipes.)

The 2012 Winter Conference’s keynote speaker is Jeffrey Smith, noted author and speaker on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and the leading consumer advocate promoting healthier, non-GMO choices. He is the author of Seeds of Deception and Genetic Roulette, and will share insights on the real threats that GMOs pose to local food production as well as to consumers’ health.  A second workshop on GMOs will be hosted by Daniel Ravicher, legal counsel representing CT NOFA and 80 other plaintiffs against Monsanto to legally protect small farms and farmers.

In this video Jeffrey Smith succinctly (2 minutes!) explains why corporate science is wrong when they say GMOs are safe.

If you’re in the mood to be entertained while learning more about GMOs, Rob Herring’s rap video is excellent!

All workshops are taught by Connecticut professionals bringing expertise from the farm, kitchen, government, or non-profit organization dedicated to sustainable living. Learn to grow fruit, garlic, honey, nuts, and mushrooms. Classes on pollination, nitrogen management and soil microbiology are among those that will provide more technical instruction. Sustainable home-life classes include seminars on root cellars, food storage, cooking, household products as well as well as how to make healthy choices in cosmetics. For activists and community organizers, the conference offers workshops in climate change, starting food co-ops, and establishing winter farmers’ markets.

The Winter Conference is a celebration of local foods and farms.  In keeping with this theme, attendees are asked to bring a favorite food dish for the potluck feast.  Local, organic vendors including Sweet Sage Bakery of Madison, CT and Bean & Leaf of New London, will be selling delicious, sustainable treats.  Children are welcome to spend time in the Family Play ‘n’ Chill room.

The CT NOFA 30^th Annual Winter Conference will be held at Manchester Community College, on Great Path Rd in Manchester, CT, on March 3 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Registration is $50 for NOFA members, $60 for non-members ($35 for students or seniors).  This is a bargain considering the value your receive- a keynote address plus multiple workshops that would easily cost $25 each elsewhere. There is a $5 discount for early registration (before  February 18^th) and an additional $10 discount for those interested in volunteering.  For more information and registration online, visit  http://ctnofa.org/events/CAOC/2012/2012_Winter_Conference.html,  or call the office at 203-888-5146.

WORKSHOPS

Organic Seed vs. Monsanto: The Lawsuit Challenging Patents on Seed – Attorney Daniel Ravicher, NYC

Certified Organic Nutrient Dense Small Fruit – Julie Rawson & Jack Kitteredge,  Many Hands Organic Farm, MA

Wild Bees and Pollination – Dr. Kim Stoner of CT Ag Experiment Station

Root Cellars & Food Storage – Chris Chaisson, Whole Farm Services, VT

Public Act 490 - Joan Nichols, CT Farm Bureau

Nitrogen Management on Farms – Tom Morris, UConn Plant Scientist

Science and Principles of Soil Microbiology – Joe Maggazi, Green Earth Agriculture

Pasture Raised Laying Hens – Brianne Casadei, Exec. Director Terra Firma Farm

Better Choices in Rx, Cosmetics, Household Products – Valerie Cookson-Botto

Raising Garlic – Farmer Wayne Hansen, Wayne’s Organic Gardens

Honey Bees – Marina Marchese, Red Bee Honey

Growing Nuts in Connecticut – Dr. Sandra Anagnostakis, CT Agricultural Exp. Station

Mushroom Growing on a Small Scale – Carol Brzozowy & Jim Peppin, Maggie’s Farm

Biotech Threats to Organic Agriculture – Ed Stockman, Summit Farm

Animal Welfare Approved Certification – Brigid Sweeney, Animal Welfare Approved

The Dynamic History of the Connecticut Forest - Jeffrey Ward, CT Agricultural Exp. Station

Collards & Other Cold Weather Greens for Health & Flavor – Chef John Turenne, Farmer Wayne Hansen and Naturopathic Physician Leigh White

Winter Farmers’ Markets Are Hot! - Winter Caplanson, Coventry Regional Farmers’ Market

Worm Composting Simplified – Nick Mancini, Organic Gardening Simplified

Co-ops Build a Better World: Co-operatives and Food Security - Erbin Crowell, Neighboring Food Co-op Association

How You Can Easily Grow Fresh Greens All Winter - David Zemelsky, Starlight Gardens

Climate Change In Connecticut: What Can We Expect and Do – Jennifer Pagach, CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection

Raising Dairy Goats and Making Cheese - Paul Trubey, Beltane Farm

Soil Management Techniques – Bryan O’Hara, Tobacco Road Farm

Food as Medicine – Dr. Leigh White, Natural Family Health, LLC

Transition Movement Workshops:

• First:  Transition Success Stories – Tina Clarke & Terry Halwes
• Second: Permaculture and Transition – Cynthia Rabinowitz & Joan Spear
• Third:  Transition: Lighting the Fire for Action – Coleen Spurlock

Lead in Soils – Concerns and Corrections – Dawn Pettinelli, UConn Soil Nutrient Analysis Laboratory

Edible School Gardens – Dan Levinson, Green Village Initiative (GVI)

and more to come…

VENDORS & EXHIBITORS

Interested in being a vendor or promoting your organization at our event?  Last year’s conference attracted over 400 passionate organic-minded individuals, and at least the same number are expected this year.   Email CT NOFA for details, print and mail this form, or call 203-888-5146.

Confirmed exhibitors:

Animal Welfare Approved - Alexandria, VA
Barefoot Books - East Granby, CT
Green Earth Agriculture – North Branford, CT
Healthy Cleaning Solutions- Tolland, CT
Land for Good – Keene, NH
Lancaster Ag Products – Ronks, PA
Natureworks – Northford, CT
Progressive Asset Management – Wellesley, MA
Sunlight Solar Energy – Milford, CT
Sweet Sage Bakery – Rockfall, CT
USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service – Tolland, CT
USDA-New England Agricultural Statistics – Concord, NH

FAMILY PLAY AREA

Music, storytime, children’s workshop, hanging out. CT NOFA provide pillows, books, and comfy places for kids to just shlump down and read!

POTLUCK

Chef John Turenne of Sustainable Food Systems and an impressive staff of kitchen volunteers will once again be on hand to pull it all together, making sure hot dishes are hot and salads are dressed.

Please bring a dish to share with everyone—it need not be local food or even organic—do what you can. Email info@fairfieldgreenfoodguide.com if you need help with a recipe or ingredients or just have a questions. Thanks! Put a label on the bottom of the container and claim it at the end of the conference. Please bring a plate and utensils as this event is committed to avoiding waste.

RAFFLE

CT NOFA is accepting raffle donations. Gently used treasures, duplicate garden tools, gift baskets, unused gift certificates or gift certificates for your business (=great advertizing!) are all welcome. CT NOFA Board member Janet Heller will be coordinating this year. Call the office at 203-888-5146 or email.

Where is the local-sustainable food movement heading? What trends can we expect to see in our locale and beyond in the coming year? We asked our blog contributors and a few of our friends to weigh in and the results are as diverse as the bounty our local lands and waters provide.

“I see more people than ever growing at least some portion of what they eat in home and community gardens and more home cooks preparing food from local sources (and consummate growth in demand for cooking classes).” Analiese Paik, founder/editor, Fairfield Green Food Guide

“The organic food category will continue to see double digit growth and higher prices will become evident as we compete for precious land and natural resources. I see strong growth in large landowners leasing a portion of their estates to young farmers (think Speckled Rooster in Westport) to increase local production and provide young farmers with the experience they need without requiring them to buy their own farms.” Analiese Paik, founder/editor, Fairfield Green Food Guide

“There is a groundswell of interest in heritage and heirloom foods (a boon to biodiversity), including cheese made from milk from rare Devon cows (heritage milk cheese), heirloom fruits and vegetables, and meat and poultry from rare cow, sheep, pig, turkey and chicken breeds.” Analiese Paik, founder/editor, Fairfield Green Food Guide

“The high-end specialty food category will continue to see strong growth and new product introductions as consumers slow down and begin to taste and appreciate the unique flavors and sense of place (terroir) reflected in single origin, single varietal chocolates, teas, coffees, olive oils and honeys.” Analiese Paik, founder/editor, Fairfield Green Food Guide

“New and exciting craft beers and micro-distilled spirits will continue to experience huge successes as consumers show preferences for  traditional beverages with interesting back stories. Once-lost crops – like beer hops now being grown by farmers in New York state – will usher in a new era of restoring lost local brewing and distilling traditions.” Analiese Paik, founder/editor, Fairfield Green Food Guide

“Artisan foods, including cheeses, charcuterie, jams, jellies and specialty sauces, will continue to replace industrial choices in the homes of discerning consumers willing to pay more for higher quality, handmade products which showcase the finest local and organic ingredients.” Analiese Paik, founder/editor, Fairfield Green Food Guide

“Pop-up food. Seasonal foods made in small batches. Now you see them, now you don’t. When they’re gone, they’re gone.” Lloyd Allen, The Double L Market, Westport. http://www.doublelmarket.com/

“The trend we’re seeing at the Milkbar is non-caffeinated, ‘natural’ beverages. Herbal tea (hot & cold) and juice consistently outsell coffee. Many customers come in saying, “I’m not doing caffeine anymore,” or “I quit coffee for health reasons.” Perhaps this is because we’ve become known for our sweet herbal tea blends, but 7 out of 10 people ask for tea over any other beverage, regardless of gender and time of day.” Jeena Choi, Babycat Milkbar and MamaCat’s Q Tea, Wilton http://www.mcqtea.com/Home.html

“Diners are jumping at the opportunity to eat at the source. Dinners at area farms have been so successful because we want to know our farmers, see the crops in the field, and enjoy flavors at their peak.  As these farm to table dinners, at the farms and in area restaurants, gain popularity, I believe we will see them offered more frequently.  Getting diners to the source of their food will encourage them to make shopping their farmers’ markets a weekly habit, too.” Liz Rueven, founder Kosher Like Me, www.kosherlikeme.com

Naked Wine. “This past year, I have noticed more wineries producing wines that have been made with less intervention on the part of the winemaker. Many are using grapes that have been grown more sustainably, or have been grown using organic and/or biodynamic methods. Less intervention usually means the wine produced is more reflective of its terroir. One of the most exciting non-intervention trends I have seen is an increase in winemakers using indigenous, or wild, yeasts as opposed to cultured yeasts. Wild yeast is naturally present on grape skins and in the air. Although many winemakers eschew their use due to difficulty predicting the taste of the end product, indigenous yeasts produce wine that is more reflective of its terroir.” Cheers! Renee B. Allen, founder, Wine Institute of New England http://wineinstituteofnewengland.com/

Stop and Taste the Honey…all the honeys. “We are clearly seeing a defined trend in the way customers choose their honey. They are consciously tasting and choosing single-origin honeys by their individual flavor profile preferences. They are also understanding that pure honey is an agricultural product with limited availability.” Marina Marchese, founder of Red Bee Honey, Weston, CT. http://www.redbee.com/

“I’ve seen a huge increase in DIY foods- from make your own bread and butter, to kits for making cheese and pickles at home- even brewing your own kombucha! Another trend is school gardens.  I’m hearing about more and more schools throughout Fairfield County that are putting in small gardens to help teach children where their food comes from.  Kids help plant, tend and harvest the produce, as part of their regular school day.  I love it!” Jennifer Spaide, founder/editor, Simplicious Magazine www.simpliciousmag.com

Consumers are Catching on about Sustainable Seafood “Consumer awareness of poor management of our fisheries is on the rise thanks to responsible educational campaigns from the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Whole Foods. Shoppers are beginning to understand whether or not the fish on their plates (or in the fish case) was sustainably harvested or was caught through poor management practices, and making more responsible choices.”  Betsy Keller, MS RD

What trends do you see? Please share them below, on our Facebook page, or submit them via email to info@fairfieldgreenfoodguide.com.

In Celebration of

Fairfield Green Food Guide & Slow Food Metro North Present:

Overcoming Obstacles to Improving School Food

With Nationally Recognized Experts Amy Kalafa and John Turenne

Join nationally recognized experts Amy Kalafa, author of Lunch Wars: How to Start a School Food Revolution and Win the Battle for Our Children’s Health, and John Turenne, Founder & President of Sustainable Food Systems, for a high impact workshop that teaches attendees successful approaches for overcoming common obstacles to making school meals more healthful and sustainable. This workshop is designed for all stakeholders in our children’s health and wellness.

“We really cannot rely on the federal government to fix school food; the government provides a baseline and it is up to each individual school district to determine the quality of each school’s food environment. This is a grassroots issue and there are any number of local solutions. The solutions are found when members of the school community start paying attention and taking action.” – Amy Kalafa

“As long as school food is provided limited funding, cost will always be a factor.  However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t simple ways to overcome inadequate  food.  We can start by step by step substituting real, whole and fresh ingredients for processed.” – John Turenne

Choose from Two Sessions:

Greenwich at Audubon Greenwich, 12:00 noon-1:00 pm. $10 admission includes a Slow Food Metro North $5 Challenge lunch catered by Concierge Foods of Bedford Hills. RSVP required.

Fairfield at Pequot Library, 7:00-8:00 pm. $10 admission includes light refreshments. RSVP required.

Both events will be followed by a Q&A session and book sale and signing.

To RSVP:

Greenwich only:

Tickets must be purchased online in advance so we can obtain an accurate lunch count. This is a working lunch. Vegetarian and vegan lunch options are available. Walk-ins cannot be guaranteed a seat or lunch. Click here to register and pay online by October 23.

Admission: $10 per person fee includes a  local farm-to-fork lunch which celebrates Slow Food Metro North’s $5 Challenge.

Time: 12:00 noon until 1:00, followed by a Q&A session, book sale and signing of Lunch Wars, and networking.

Important: Kindly arrive at 11:45 to register, pick up your lunch and beverage and be seated. This is a working lunch.

Location: Audubon Greenwich, 613 Riversville Road, Greenwich, CT. Please call event organizer Analiese Paik at 203.520.3451 with any questions.

Fairfield only:

Admission: $10 per person fee includes the workshop and light refreshments.Click here to register and pay online by October 23.

Time: 7:00 to 8:00 pm, followed by a Q&A session, book sale and signing of Lunch Wars, and networking.

Important: Kindly arrive at 6:45 to register and be seated.

Location: Pequot Library, 720 Pequot Avenue, Southport, CT. Please call event organizer Analiese Paik at 203.520.3451 with any questions.

This event is organized by Fairfield Green Food Guide, LLC and Slow Food Metro North and made possible through the generous support of Audubon Greenwich, Pequot Library and Concierge Foods.

About Our Guest Presenters:

Amy Kalafa

Amy Kalafa has produced award-winning films and television programs, and has written magazine articles related to health education for more than twenty-five years. The producer/director of the acclaimed documentary film Two Angry Moms: Fighting for the Health of America’s Children, she has been featured on Good Morning America, Rachael Ray, and Fox News Live, and in USA Today and The New York Times. Kalafa lives with her family in Weston, Connecticut. http://angrymoms.org/

LUNCH WARS: How to Start A School Food Revolution and Win the Battle for Our Children’s Health (Tarcher/Penguin, August 2011) not only exposes the scary, hidden truth behind school lunches, but also gives parents the tools to do something about it. After author Amy Kalafa produced and directed the acclaimed documentary, Two Angry Moms, she was flooded with questions from parents who saw the film and wanted to know how to rid their own children’s schools of unhealthy—and sometimes dangerous—food. LUNCH WARS is Kalafa’s definitive response and an all-inclusive guide to help parents stage their own cafeteria coup.

LUNCH WARS is an invaluable reference. From First Lady Michelle Obama and her Let’s Move! campaign against childhood obesity to the average parent who’s struggling to instill good habits in their children, every American family has a stake in the book’s message. The next—and most crucial—step is to learn what LUNCH WARS teaches and integrate it into every school in America, on every day of the year.

John Turenne

John Turenne, founder and President of Sustainable Food Systems, is a nationally recognized leader and innovator in sustainable food practices. In his role as Executive Chef at Yale University and in the creation of the Yale Sustainable Food Project, John recognized the impact of food service decision-making on the world around us. His consulting company is on the cutting edge in developing best-practices tailored to benefit both the planet and the bottom line for clients. Turenne led the behind-the-scenes team that made Jamie Oliver’s “Food Revolution” work in the Huntington, West Virginia school system.

John and his team at Sustainable Food Systems have worked with visionaries across the country who have had the desire to make positive changes to the way they do business. Sustainable Food Systems brings those ideas and desires to reality through careful assessment, planning, teaching and development.

Sustainable Food Systems’ client list includes The Culinary Institute of America; Yale University; Harvard Medical School; The East Harlem School; Jamie Oliver Ltd.; Cabell County, WV Public Schools;  St. Lukes Wood River Medical Center as well as multiple other public hospital and school systems.

John Turenne and Sustainable Food Systems were also instrumental in working with the Obama Administration in the development of the USDA’s Chefs Move to Schools initiative and continue to harvest national and international recognition. http://www.sustainablefoodsystems.com/

Resources:

Amy Kalafa: http://angrymoms.org/, http://www.tarcherbooks.net/?tag=lunch-wars

John Turenne: http://www.sustainablefoodsystems.com/

Fairfield Green Food Guide: http://fairfieldgreenfoodguide.com/

Slow Food Metro North: http://slowfoodmetronorth.org/

Food Day: http://foodday.org/

What is Food Day?

Aimed at promoting healthy, sustainable, affordable, and just food systems in America, Food Day is a national grassroots mobilization backed by some of the most prominent voices for energizing the food movement. On October 24, 2011, people will gather at events big and small and from coast to coast in homes, schools, colleges, churches, city halls, farmers’ markets, supermarkets, and elsewhere to raise awareness about food issues and advocate for change. Think of it as an Earth Day for food!

Spearheaded by the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest, Food Day is organized around six main policy goals:

1. Reduce diet-related disease by promoting safe, healthy foods

2. Support sustainable farms and limit subsidies to big agribusiness

3. Expand access to food and alleviate hunger

4. Protect the environment and animals by reforming factory farms

5. Promote health by curbing junk-food marketing to kids

6. Support fair working conditions for food and farm workers

Who is partnering with Food Day?

Food Day’s advisory board is co-chaired by Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa and Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut and includes such members as Michael Pollan, Alice Waters, Marion Nestle, David Kessler, and Professor Walter Willett. Partners include the American Dietetic Association, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, UNITE Here, Humane Society of the U.S., Sierra Club, and Slow Food USA. A full list of advisors and partner organizations can be found at www.FoodDay.org.

By Eileen Weber

They say hard work pays off. And for parent volunteers in Fairfield Public Schools, that old adage couldn’t be more true. Years of painstakingly coordinating a garden program as an outdoor classroom have culminated in a $5,000 grant funded by the Fairfield County Community Foundation. The grant, which was written and submitted by the 2009-2011 PTA Council Health, Safety & Fitness Committee chair Anne Tack-Eckel, provides enough gardening books for every grade level in the entire school district.

What makes this such a breakthrough is finally getting the recognition that a garden is a viable teaching tool. For years, parents have been wading through red tape and political strife all for the sake of one ideology: Eat what you grow.

“It’s time to wake up,” said Annelise McCay, who kick-started the garden initiative at Roger Sherman Elementary School in 2006. “It’s about awareness for these kids. They may not understand it now, but [working in the garden] is a lesson learned that will stay with them.”

McCay, coined the “Alice Waters” of Fairfield, went on to say that the garden initiative stemmed from so many parents who were appalled at what was being considered “lunch” in the cafeterias. It became clear that too many of our children were not making the connection between what we eat and how it grows.

“That was the motivation behind it—healthier eating,” said McCay. “When you’re feeding kids chicken fingers and French fries, you’re telling kids that’s what they should eat. Why does it have to be poorer quality food for a kids’ menu?”

Anne Tack-Eckel agreed with McCay. For her, it started when her youngest child was in Kindergarten. She visited the school often for lunch and was disgusted with what was offered. Since then, she has seen a huge change in the type of offerings that not only the school has provided but that kids are happily choosing to put on their plates. She feels strongly that the garden initiative was the catalyst for that change.

“The foods were highly processed, high in fat, with chemicals,” said Tack-Eckel. “But the changes in the school lunch have been miraculous. I think people don’t realize how important a kid’s lunch is. What they eat is important.”

She pointed out that the school year lasts 180 days. That’s half a year of a child’s life consisting of bad food. Today, almost every single school in the district has a garden that is being used within the curriculum. In some cases, the schools have implemented the garden produce in the cafeteria.

“Kids who participate are more likely to try fruits and vegetables,” said Michelle McCabe, chairperson of the PTA Council Fuel for Learning Partnership, an organization that advocates school lunch nutrition, “There’s a sense of ownership in growing something they can eat.”

But these kids don’t just pretend to be a farmer for a few minutes. They are making the important leap between what sprouts from the earth and what goes into their bodies. No, fresh tomatoes don’t come naturally wrapped in plastic. And a fresh tomato tastes better than one that was covered in pesticides, picked unripe, and shipped from several thousand miles away. A garden is more than just health and nutrition. It’s about math. It’s about science. It’s about art. It’s about relationships and how they can grow in a garden, too.

Rosemary Field, who launched the garden at Osborne Hill School with fellow parent Karen Bassett, said never underestimate the power of a seed. To her, it illustrates the circle of life.

“The teachers are excited to have the kids with their hands in the dirt,” she said. “It’s making a connection to where our food comes from. It’s an awakening.”

Osborne Hill planted their garden this past spring. While the plants flourished over the summer, the experience was not without its pitfalls. They started with a seed exchange. But the seeds didn’t work, so they had to reseed all the plants. Then, the pumpkins got infested with squash beetles. And if that wasn’t bad enough, the sunflowers grew so large and overshadowed the pumpkins to such an extent that they grew a fungus, wiping out what was left of the crop. But the sunflowers didn’t last either. Hurricane Irene whipped through and snapped them in half.

“It’s been a learning experience,” Field said.

Their trials and tribulations have not discouraged the garden committee at Osborne. They plan to grow their plants, which are in a narrow space on the left hand side of the building, vertically next season. They received a small grant to cover the cost of a butterfly garden, as well.

So how can the grant for gardening books improve an already thriving garden program? For Tack-Eckel, the more hands-on the garden experience is, the more effective the learning. For example, one of the books that every teacher will receive is a copy of Math in the Garden. Little ones can be taught counting while bigger kids can move on to concepts like area and perimeter. The books provide a fresh angle for teachers to approach the garden in ways they might not have considered.

“It’s an additional tool to help them teach and motivate students to learn,” she said. “We hope this is just the beginning. We’d love to see area schools create a coalition to share information.”

What many don’t realize is that an anonymous donor funded the grant that made this all possible. That donor felt strongly about kids making the link between gardens, healthy eating, and our environment. And, the link between them is now clicking with kids in every school.

But as McCabe explained, the school gardens will never be a finished project. They can always change and evolve with the curriculum. Ideas can be explored and tailor-made to fit an educational need. The first challenge was getting the gardens to exist. The grant was just one more step in a long, exhausting process.

“Perseverance pays off,” she said.

For more information about school lunch nutrition, visit Fuel for Learning Partnership on Facebook. To find out more about the philanthropic grant process, visit the Fairfield County Community Foundation web site.

By Analiese Paik

The following is a transcript of A Dozen Ways to Eat Green, a talk I was to deliver today at the Gathering of the Vibes as a guest speaker on the Green Vibes Stage at 1:30. Unfortunately, due to the heat advisory, I won’t be presenting today. A Dozen Ways to Eat Green is perfect for any eater – those just learning how unsustainable our food system is and are looking for ways to reduce their “foodprint” and those already making sustainable choices, yet are looking to do more. The choices we make three times a day have a profound impact on our health and the environment, so eat smart and eat green!

• Reduce your food waste.
  

By some estimates 40 percent of the food grown in the country is wasted. That figure includes everything from food left to rot in farmers’ fields, to imperfect food throw out by stores and restaurants, to the leftovers you scrape into your garbage pail after dinner. Here are three ways to cut down on your food waste:

1. Buy less to avoid buying more than you need.
2. Make “Use it or Freeze It” your mantra and use your freezer to save food for another day.
3. Declare “Clean Out the Refrigerator Night” once a week to eat all the leftovers before they go bad.

• Compost your raw food waste.

Start a compost pile right in your backyard. When you throw food waste into the garbage, it winds up in a landfill where it cannot decompose. Instead, it emits methane gas, a greenhouse gas, which contributes to climate change. Collect your egg shells, coffee grinds, vegetable peels, corn cobs and husks in a kitchen composting pail and toss them in the compost pile with grass clippings and leaves. Over a few months’ time, they’ll decompose with the help of worms and turn into compost – gardener’s gold. You won’t need to buy compost when you start your organic garden! Visit Rodale’s web site for some expert composting advice.

• Eat less meat.

Practice Meatless Mondays by eating no meat one day a week. The Environmental Working Group has just released The Meat Eater’s Guide to Climate Change and Health, a handy online guide to improving your health and the health of the environment through sustainable meat choices. It includes a recommendation to practice Meatless Mondays, citing this quote from real food activist and author Michael Pollan.

“The single most important thing any of us can do to shrink the environmental footprint of our eating is to cut back on our meat eating — doing so has a bigger impact than eating local or organic.” -Michael Pollan, Author and food activist

When you do eat meat, avoid factory farmed beef, poultry, pork and dairy; choose grass-fed, pasture-raised, and organic meat and dairy instead. Approximately 99 percent of the meat sold in restaurants and grocers if from factory farms (CAFOs) where animals are raised in close confinement, fed an unnatural diet of genetically modified (GM) corn and soy, and are routinely treated with antibiotics to keep them from getting sick. Raising animals in this manner might produce cheap meat for the consumer, but what’s rung up at the register doesn’t factor in the true cost to the environment and human health. Don’t fall victim to the illusion of cheap food. The real cost of producing and eating food from the industrial food chain will have to be paid for by generations to come.

Many Connecticut farmers raise livestock on pasture and sell it at farmers’ markets throughout the state, plus a sustainable butcher shop will be opening in Westport soon.

Learn more by about the impact of factory farming on the climate and human health from EWG’s The Meat Eater’s Guide to Climate Change and Health.

• Choose organic food over conventionally grown.

Choose organic whenever possible to protect the environment and human health. Organic foods and wines are cultivated without the use of synthetic fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides so they do not deplete the soil, damage the environment or pose threats to human health. CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture) programs are the most economical way to buy fresh, local, organic produce. CSA programs offer consumers a seasonal share in a single farm’s harvest for a fixed price. Each season I publish a guide to CSAs offered by local farms, and each year the list grows.

Processed foods, even those labeled “natural”, commonly contain ingredients made from the “Big Four” genetically-modified (GM) food crops: soybeans, corn, canola and cottonseed, yet they carry no labels declaring “contains GMOs.” The bottle of canola oil innocently sitting in your pantry is likely GM, since eighty percent of the canola grown in the US is genetically modified. Many well-respected members of the sustainable food, agriculture, and science communities believe that GMOs pose threats to human and animal health, the environment, and biodiversity. Choose organic or Non-GMO Project Verified processed foods to avoid GMOs. To learn more about GMOs, please read While You Were Eating on this blog.

• Eat locally with the seasons.

Fresh, local food is delicious, nutritious and in abundant supply at farm stands, farmers’ markets and through CSAs. Buy locally grown food in season to reduce the “food miles” your food has to travel to reach your plate and cut down on food packaging. Fewer food miles translate into reduced use of fossil fuels and lower greenhouse gas emissions. Less packaging means you create less waste. You’ll also be providing a living wage to our farmers, ensuring farmland preservation and our ability to feed ourselves, and encouraging the cultivation of a diversity of species, including heritage and heirloom varietals. Eating locally with the seasons is an investment in the future of our local foodshed.

• Grow some of your own food.

Seeds are very inexpensive, and if you make your own compost, you’ll likely wind up saving money by growing your own. A fantastic source of inspiration and advice for home gardeners is Kitchen Gardeners International, the group behind the campaign to replant a kitchen garden at the White House. Look for gardening workshops and classes, includes those we post, to help you get started. Comstock Ferre & Co., a 200-year-old seed company in Wethersfield, CT, offers a wide variety of heirloom seeds via their catalog, online store, an retail location. Read more about Comstock here.

• Choose organic, Fair Trade coffee, tea, chocolate and sugar.

Fair Trade means farmers are compensated fairly for their work, no child labor is used, and farms employ sustainable growing practices. Organic farming practices don’t rely on synthetic fertilizer and never use synthetic pesticides, herbicides and insecticides. When we choose organic, Fair Trade products, we are rewarding farmers for treating their workers fairly and using sustainable growing practices. These products may cost a little more, but the payoff is priceless.

• Choose sustainable seafood.

Choose sustainable seafood. Download the Sustainable Seafood Guide or iphone app from Seafood Watch and consult it at the fish counter or when ordering in a restaurant. Commit to limiting your consumption to sustainable seafood choices under the Best Choices and Good Alternatives categories. Whenever you eat a sustainable seafood meal, enter it into the app to share your resources with other users.  Whole Foods Markets stores have started using a seafood labeling system for their wild caught products based on Seafood Watch’s ratings to help the consumer at point of purchase. You can learn all about sustainable seafood in an interactive exhibit called Go Fish! at the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk.  It’s perfect for adults and children.

• Stop buying disposable bottled water.

Disposable bottled water is one or the most unsustainable beverage choices you can make. Plastic water bottles are made from petroleum and are designed to be used once, resulting in a product that is thousands of times more expensive than tap water and no safer, according to a report by Food & Water Watch. Most of these bottles are not recycled and wind up in landfills and our oceans where they  leach harmful chemicals into the ground and water. There is a floating garbage patch twice the size of Texas in the North Atlantic that is poisoning sea life. Please carry a thermos filled with filtered tap water instead.

• Learn to cook!

Cooking is becoming a lost art. Take some cooking classes and buy a cookbook that teaches you how to cook with the seasons including Deborah Madison’s Local Flavors: Cooking and Eating from America’s Farmers’ Markets, Emily Brooks’ Connecticut Farmer & Feast, Michel Nischan’s Sustainably Delicious: Making the World a Better Place One Recipe at a Time, and Harvest to Heat: Cooking with America’s Best Farmers, Chefs and Artisans by Darryl Estrine and Kelly Kochendorfer.

• Start or volunteer at a school or community garden.

School and community gardens are thriving across the country including urban, rooftop, vertical, aquaponic, and hydroponic varieties. Public gardens are revitalizing urban communities and providing food deserts with a source of fresh local food. Creating community while helping to feed yourself and others more sustainably, especially children, is rewarding and laying the groundwork for a more sustainable food future.

• Don’t wait for someone else to fix it.

The food choices you make all day, every day, have small but important impacts. Eat Smart, Eat Green.

Recommended Reading:

• Tomatoland
• Eating Animals
• Righteous Pork Chop
• Diet for a Hot Planet
• Animal, Vegetable, Miracle
• Omnivore’s Dilemma (and young reader’s version)

Movies:

• Food, Inc.
• FRESH
• Nourish
  
• The Future of Food
• The World According to Monsanto

Bonus Green Food Tips:

• Bring your own bags wherever you shop. Try keeping a soft, collapsible bag in your pocketbook so you always have one handy.

• Reuse grocery store vegetable bags as liners for your kitchen compost pail. You’ll save money on composting supplies and give the bags and second life.

• Use recycled products. Choose from post-consumer recycled aluminum foil and paper products (napkins & paper towels), phosphate-free dish-washing liquid and dishwasher soap, and biodegradable garbage bags.

• Recycle #5 containers and cork at Whole Foods Markets instead of throwing them in the garbage. Whole Foods collects #5s and cork for recycling (feel free to pop in just to drop off your recycling). Recycling costs you nothing but is a huge gift to the environment.

• Use reusable bags instead of single use plastic lunch and snack bags. There are many on the market and they have become so mainstream that they are now available at Linens ‘n Things. Lunch Skins are eco-chic, reusable lunch and snack bags that are cute enough to give as a gift.
  

• Choose organic and biodynamic wines. These so called “natural” wines rely on low impact methods for solving common problems that plague vineyards. For instance, birds of prey are brought in to control for varmints. Organic wines are cultivated without the use of synthetic fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides so they do not deplete the soil, damage the environment or pose threats to human health.

Celebration at Wilton High School Organic Garden – Friday, May 20^th @ 3:30pm

Wilton, Connecticut – May 13, 2011 – The date is official, Jim Hunter and Kate Eckenrode, the Wilton High School teachers spearheading the garden this year, are pleased to announce the anticipated celebration of the Wilton High School Organic Garden. “We are so pleased to have this opportunity to thank Millstone Farm for all its expertise and assistance in getting the plants in the ground this year and to honor the support of Betsy and Jesse Fink for making it all happen. Jim Hunter, who envisioned the garden along with Betsy Fink and was instrumental in pushing it through noted, “it’s been a collaborative effort to make this happen. It is a positive, long-lasting project for the Town of Wilton.”

Jim was an early proponent of having a school garden, and with early seed funding from The Betsy and Jesse Fink Foundation and student support he made this happen. Gathering funding was an early hurdle and the Fink’s also introduced the project to Newman’s Own Foundation that came through with critical funding. Millstone Farm worked with Jim to grow tomato plants for a fund drive this year and last year. The students worked tirelessly to make this happen and raised $1,600 in two afternoons at the Tomato Drive in 2010 and set up a tent with Millstone Farm at the Wilton Go Green Festival 2011 to raise funds to help with ongoing operating costs of the garden. Betsy Fink added “We believed deeply in this project and bringing a school garden to the Town of Wilton. This is a critical time for learning about food sources and building community-based activities. The benefits of the school garden will reach far beyond the halls of Wilton High School and bridge many local resources in the region to work together.”

Jim and Kate made this a true community effort with Millstone Farm lending expert advice; Snow’s Farm from Easton donated soil; and a local construction company, Tracy Castelli & Associates, donated time for construction prep. All of these groups understand the benefits of this addition to Wilton High School and the community as a whole.

First and foremost the organic garden will add depth and opportunity to the science curriculum, directly impacting all 9th grade biology students as well as environmental science courses, and courses in any subject that would like a short term project in the garden (such as Math, Art, Culinary etc…). In addition the Garden will:

•        Be a resource for Special Education year round.

•        Provide opportunities for high school students to work with students from the other schools.

•        Offer opportunities for departments within the school to develop curriculum together.

•        Provide chances for students to participate in independent studies.

•        Present opportunities to connect with community resources.

“This is a community project at the core,” said Jim Hunter. Besides connecting with Millstone Farm and other local farms and nature centers, the High School garden will intersect with Adult Education programs and garden clubs. Chartwells will be using a large percentage of the food in the high school cafeteria. More produce will be donated to different organizations in the community.  “What is extremely gratifying”, noted Betsy, “is that students, teachers and parents can use this garden to give back to the community in Wilton and surrounding towns.”

Everyone involved believes this is the beginning of a special program and place for the Wilton community.

A beautiful new magazine called Sustainable Connecticut has launched. This  special preview in the April issue of Connecticut Cottages & Gardens magazine (CTC&G) profiles local leaders of the sustainable food movement who are inspiring all of us to change. They are creating a wonderful ripple effect that can be felt throughout the state, and beyond. Perhaps you know some of them or they have touched your lives, or maybe even the food you eat.

Video from WTNH’s Good Morning Connecticut show introducing Sustainable Connecticut magazine on Saturday April 2 with Analiese Paik, Founder & Editor of the Fairfield Green Food Guide, and WTNH’s Steve Villanueva.

Sustainable Farmer Sustainable Connecticut magazine begins on page 49 of CTC&G with a beautiful photo of Master Farmer Annie Farrell of Millstone Farm in Wilton with one of their heritage breed hens.  Annie Farrell, the subject of the magazine’s cover story, has spent her life establishing sustainable farms and sharing her knowledge with others as a consultant. Millstone Farm was founded by Betsy and Jesse Fink and they hired Farrell to help them build “a sustainable farm whose mission it is to build a healthy local food system that enhances the natural and social environment” according to the article.

Betsy is an environmentalist and philanthropist and runs the 75-acre farm which has a small CSA and supplies the highest quality fresh produce to top farm-to-table restaurants including the Dressing Room and Le Farm in Westport, Schoolhouse at Cannondale in Wilton, the Boathouse at Saugatuck, and the Barcelona restaurant group. Millstone Farm regularly hosts teachers, students and educational events at the farm where participants can learn directly from Master Farmer Annie Farrell. If you’re a beginning gardener, don’t miss Millstone’s Backyard Workshop on April 16.

Farm-to-Table Chefs & Whole Animal Butcher In the Locavore column “Staying Hungry”, I interviewed a few chefs who are leaders in the farm-to-table movement to share their latest news with readers. James Beard award-winning chef and sustainable food pioneer Michel Nischan presented at TEDxManhattan “Changing the Way We Eat” and was recently elected to Ashoka’s global fellowship of leading social entrepreneurs in more than 60 countries in recognition of his work at Wholesome Wave.

Bill Taibe, chef/owner of LeFarm restaurant in Westport and a James Beard Foundation award semifinalist for Best Chef: Northeast is finalizing his restaurant’s green certification process and is planning a second restaurant. Alex Gunuey caters farm-to-school meals at the Friends School in Wilton and started Bone A Part to provide discerning canines with gourmet, locavore dog food.

Fairfield County is welcoming two new sustainable food businesses – Mario Batali’s  Tarry Lodge Enoteca Pizzeria is due to open early summer in Westport and Ryan Fibiger, a graduate of Fleischer’s Grass-Fed and Organic Meats in Kingston, NY, will be opening a sustainable butcher shop specializing in whole animal (aka nose-to-tail) butchery soon in either Westport or Fairfield. Naturally chef Gunuey will be buying trimmings from Fibiger for his dog food, thereby ensuring that no part of the animal goes to waste.

In “Spring Lettuce” author and farmer Bill Duesing encourages us to plant some lettuce soon since it’s an excellent early spring crop that likes cool weather. Duesing is Executive Director of the Connecticut Chapter of the Northeast Organic Farming Association (CT NOFA) and recommends planting every 2-3 weeks so gardeners can enjoy lettuce through October. CT-NOFA is not just for farmers (I’m a member!) so please take a look at their upcoming workshops and events-one might be just right for you.

“The Great School Food Makeover” spotlights the success of The Unquowa School in Fairfield in making over their lunch menu to feature locally sourced foods from sustainable family farms. John Turenne, who helped create Yale’s sustainable dining program, left the university to found Sustainable Food Systems and took on the school as his first client. The Unquowa School has embraced Alice Waters’ edible schoolyard philosophy by not only putting in a school garden, but also by partnering with Sport Hill Farm in Easton to offer a summer farm camp that teach kids from early on where their food comes from and how to plant, cultivate and harvest it. Campers prepare a farm fresh lunch with school chef Peter Gorman on Fridays from food they picked that morning.

Pick up the magazine at the usual drop sites for CTC&G or visit the web site for a digital copy at sustainablethemagazine.com.

Enjoy the hard work of our farmers by seeking out the bounty of Connecticut Grown this spring. Foods that are special to the season like Spring parsnips, early lettuces, and fresh goat’s milk cheeses are a treat.

Displayed on the Ch. 8 set are the following CT Grown foods purchased on closing day of the Westport Winter Farmers’ Market:

• Fresh Spring goat’s milk cheese (chevre) and yogurt from Beltane Farm
• Soft ripened goat’s milk cheese from Beltane Farm called Danse de la Lune
• Cow’s milk and yogurt from Ladies of Levita Road dairy farm
• Certified Organic kale, mesclun greens (mixed salad greens), and flowering tarragon from 2 Guys from Woodbridge farm
• Certified Organic Spring parsnips, carrots, heirloom tomato sauce and bread and butter pickles from Riverbank Farm
• Certified Organic mixed baby greens and spinach from Star Light Gardens farm
• Loin lamb chops and lamb Bolognese sauce from Sankow’s Beaver Brook Farm

Please come back and let us know how you like Sustainable Connecticut magazine and what spring foods you’re enjoying now. Planting a garden? Share your garden photos with us on Facebook.

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Wednesday evening’s screening of Nourish the film at Wilton Library kicked off an evening of lively moderated discussion about local and sustainably grown food with guest panelists Annie Farrell, Tim LaBant and Jim Hunter.

Every seat in the house was taken, a testament to the popularity of the topic and guest panelists and coordinated team effort in planning and organizing the event by the co-sponsors: Wilton Library, Wilton Go Green, Fairfield Organic Teaching Farm and Fairfield Green Food Guide.

About the Film:

Nourish is an educational film about the story of our food – food from a global perspective to personal action steps. Nourish illustrates how food connects to such issues as biodiversity, climate change, public health, and social justice. Hosted and narrated by Cameron Diaz, Nourish features interviews with best-selling author Michael Pollan, sustainable food advocate Anna Lappe, eco-chef Bryant Terry, pediatrician Dr. Nadine Burke, and organic farmer Nigel Walker. With beautiful visuals and inspiring stories, Nourish traces our relationship to food from a global perspective to personal action steps. Nourish the film was created by WorldLink, an Emmy Award-winning media group with twenty years’ experience in designing education and outreach programs, in order to deepen our national dialog about our food.

“Food is not just fuel. Food is about family, food is about community, food is about identity. And we nourish all those things when we eat well.”
— Michael Pollan from Nourish the film

Visit the web site and view the trailer.

About the Panelists:

Annie Farrell, Master Farmer, Millstone Farm.

Millstone Farm is owned by Betsy and Jesse Fink and is a for-profit working farm whose mission is to operate in a sustainable manner, both in economics and best farm practices. Millstone Farm is an important provider of high quality fresh produce to local families, restaurants and retailers. Annie Farrell, Betsy Fink and Millstone Farm are celebrated in a newly released and very beautiful cookbook, Harvest to Heat: Cooking with America’s Best Chefs, Farmers, and Artisans, that was just named Best Cookbook Overall 2010 by Epicurious and will be featured on the Martha Stewart Show next Wednesday, November  24. Look for Betsy Fink and Annie Farrel in the audience.

In keeping with their goal to see local food production become the norm rather than the exception, Millstone Farm also serves as an educational outreach hub, supporting other farmers, community organizations, school groups and restaurateurs who are interested in learning more about the practice of sustainable agriculture, its implementation and its impact on local economies and food quality. The Millstone Farm Charitable Fund helps support philanthropic initiatives, such as school and community gardens and healthy food initiatives. Millstone Farm was recognized with a Green Coast Award at the Third Annual Green Faire at the Stamford Marriott Hotel and Spa on the morning of this event.

Tim LaBant, Chef/Owner of the Schoolhouse at Cannondale.

Tim’s uncompromising commitment to serving the highest quality fresh, local, and seasonal food has won Schoolhouse numerous awards including a Top 10 Ranking on Open Table’s Best of the tri state area, Best Special Occasion restaurant 2010 by Westport Magazine, and the top Fairfield County Pick for the Best of New England 2010 guide. Much of the food on the menu is sourced from Millstone Farm and some is even picked by the chef himself.

Starting Dec. 9 Tim and his team will be serving lunch, along with other farm-to-table chefs, on rotating Thursdays at the indoor winter farmers’ market at Gilbertie’s in Westport from 10-1 pm.

Jim Hunter, Biology and AP Environmental Science teacher and founder of the organic edible school garden at Wilton High School

Jim has taught at Wilton High School for the past nine years and recently founded Wilton High School’s edible school garden, made possible through funding from Newman’s Own Foundation and funding and other support from The Betsy and Jesse Fink Foundation and Millstone Farm. Jim spent years learning to garden organically from Annie Farrell and her time and expertise were key contributors to the project’s success.

The panel discussion lasted about an hour and we invited the audience to submit questions on question cards that were collected during the final 20 minutes of Q&A.

It was my great pleasure to serve as moderator for the guest panel and this was my introduction:

“We are delighted so many of you were able to join us tonight. I know you will leave feeling uplifted and inspired by our guest panelists Annie Farrell, Tim LaBant and Jim Hunter. As you listen to their stories, it will become evident that Wilton is indeed a very special place where people who care deeply about nourishing the community are working in concert with one another for the greater good.”

The following questions were presented to the panelists by the moderator and some of their answers can be read in the article Residents Encouraged to’Eat Local, Think Global’ by Kara O’Connor, a staff writer at the Wilton Villager who attended the event. A second article, Panel Promotes Farm Fresh Food, by Anthony Buzzeo at The Daily Wilton conveys a few additional thoughts. And my favorite is Film and Discussion at the Wilton Library Nourishes the Community by Audra Carbone of the Wilton Patch.

Panelist Questions:

Q1: The final chapter of the film encourages us to Be the Difference. Each of you IS the difference, working to transform the way we eat and nourish the community. Would you please tell us more about your work?

Q2: The film encourages us to Vote With Our Forks. What does that mean and what are some ways to do that here in Fairfield County?

Q3: Is being a conscious eater enough? Should we all be growing some of our own food and finding ways to support programs and initiatives working to transform the food system into something more sustainable, just and healthy?

The following audience questions were taken on cards and answered by Jim Hunter, Tim LaBant, and Annie Farrell, respectively.

Q1: Will gardens be put in the elementary and middle schools in Wilton?

Q2: What’s local in season November through April?

Q3: What workshops and programs are offered at Millstone Farm, how do you find out about them, and how do we encourage more people to grow in their own backyards?

Many thanks to Tim LaBant and Schoolhouse Restaurant for the delicious cassoulet, Wave Hill Bread for the bread used in the dish, and Vintage Fine Wines of Wilton for their support with the wines. A red and a white wine were served, a 2008 Bonterrra Vineyards Chardonnay and 2006 Lolonis Cabernet, both California wines made from 100% organic grapes.

Guests enjoyed the food and wine during the networking event that followed with panelists and exhibitors Wilton Go Green, Millstone Farm, Fairfield Green Food Guide, Fairfield Organic Teaching Farm, and Ambler Farm.

Thank you to the many guests who supported the library through donations and purchased DVDs from the non-profit Fairfield Organic Teaching Farm to share with their family, friends, businesses, school and organizations. Many thanks to the Fairfield Organic Teaching Farm for their sponsorship of the Nourish screening.

(from the web site)

Nourish is a multi-year media and education initiative. The purpose of Nourish is to open a broad public conversation about our food system that encourages citizen engagement, particularly among young people and families. To inform and inspire, Nourish combines television programming, short films, web content, and learning tools. With a distinctly positive vision, Nourish celebrates both food and community.

Nourish is a project of WorldLink, an Emmy Award-winning media group with twenty years experience in designing education and outreach programs. To maximize the effectiveness of Nourish, WorldLink is collaborating with more than 40 organizations dedicated to creating a sustainable food future.

The Fairfield Green Food Guide and Fairfield Organic Teaching Farm have teamed up to screen Nourish the film at libraries and other community and environmental organizations in Fairfield County. Hosted and narrated by Cameron Diaz, Nourish features interviews with best-selling author Michael Pollan, sustainable food advocate Anna Lappe, eco-chef Bryant Terry, pediatrician Dr. Nadine Burke, and organic farmer Nigel Walker. With beautiful visuals and inspiring stories, Nourish traces our relationship to food from a global perspective to personal action steps. Nourish the film was created by WorldLink, an Emmy Award-winning media group with twenty years’ experience in designing education and outreach programs, in order to deepen our national dialog about our food.

“Food is not just fuel. Food is about family, food is about community, food is about identity. And we nourish all those things when we eat well.”
— Michael Pollan from Nourish the film

Click here to see a trailer.

On Wednesday, November 17, Wilton Library will host the Fairfield County premiere of Nourish the movie. Immediately after the 30-minute film screening, a special panel of influential members of the local sustainable food community will discuss their work and take audience questions during an hour-long, moderated panel discussion.

Guest Panelists:

• Master Farm Annie Farrell of Millstone Farm,
• Award-winning chef/owner of the Schoolhouse at Cannondale restaurant Tim LaBant,
• Biology and AP Environmental Science teacher and founder of the Wilton High School edible school garden Jim Hunter,
• Moderator: Analiese Paik, Founder & Editor, Fairfield Green Food Guide

Food, Wine & Networking:

Guests are welcome to stay to enjoy small bites from the Schoolhouse at Cannondale and organic wine while networking with the panelists, exhibitors and other guests.

This is a free, family-appropriate event, but registration is required. Please contact the Wilton Library at 203-762-3950 ext. 213 to register.

Wilton Library, 137 Old Ridgefield Road, Wilton, CT.