Date/Time
Date(s) - 12/03/2020
6:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Location

Categories

On Thursday, December 3, 2020, 6:30pm – 8:30pm, the Monadnock Farm and Community Coalition (MFCC) invites NH residents to celebrate the contribution of local food at their online event: “Stories From the Field: Celebrating our Local Food System in Words”. Audience members can enjoy a front row seat with those who grow, prepare, advocate on behalf, and educate about local food. Not to mention, those who simply enjoy eating it.

The importance of locally grown food to our health, well-being, and local economies has never been more evident than during the COVID-19 pandemic. “The pandemic put undue stress on a system that was already under pressure,” says Roe-Ann Tasoulas, MFCC director. “Our local farms, food entrepreneurs, and community organizations met adversity by developing new innovative ways to get food to all of us. Let’s celebrate the tremendous amount of food produced and delivered to Monadnock’s tables, by taking a moment to hear stories of how the food system impacts our lives.”

Kate McNally, Host of NHPR’s “The Folk Show” is emcee of the event and will kick off the evening with a story of her “mostly green thumb” and her connection with gardening. “I love the concept of this Moth-like event and especially that it will have an earthy local feel,” says McNally. Nine other storytellers will share 10-minute vignettes over the course of two hours.

One story captures how one mother’s access to healthy, fresh vegetables and fruits through the Monadnock Farm Share program; a subsidized CSA program, impacted her family’s life. Another illustrates how a woman’s passion for agriculture landed her on the Environment and Agriculture committee as a NH State Representative.

Machina ArtBar and Kitchen chef, Jordan Scott, will share how his time in a culinary class at Keene High School ignited a passion for cooking that lead him across the country and back, becoming a local food advocate along the way.

Farmers Holly Gowdy of Brookfield Farm, Marty Castriotta of Village Roots CSA, Gene Jonas of Hungry Bear Farm, and Beth Hodge of Echo Farm puddings provide a glimpse into their day-to-day lives bringing food to our tables. Whether in the field, in the barn, or in the coop, their stories breathe life into the connection between farmers and their stewardship of nature.

The Monadnock local food system is rich with farms, food entrepreneurs and community organizations who work to get food on all the tables of its residents. “We can buy products like Manning Hill Farm milk, Cheshire Garden preserves, Main Street Cheese or Edgefield Farm lamb at farm stands, farmers markets, or in grocery stores, thanks to collaboration among farmers and Food Connects,” Tasoulas continues. “We can use EBT/SNAP benefits at the check out because of the Cheshire County Conservation District. Thanks to programs like The Community Kitchen gleaning, Community Garden Connections and others, local food can be found regularly at the 12 pantries throughout the region. It is MFCC’s job to foster connections among members and with the community to assure a vibrant food future that will sustain us.”

MFCC intends to “grow” the event into an annual celebration; shining the light on these dynamic relationships within the food system. “Our hope is that through some laughs, maybe a couple of tears, stories shared will bring attention to the deep need we all have to be connected to land, its beauty, and its bounty, and ultimately, each other. Hopefully, we will be reminded that there is a high cost to rely on cheap, processed food and it goes way beyond money.”

To find out more and to register, go to: http://2020storiesfromthefieldnh.eventbrite.com or call 802-275-4191.

The Monadnock Farm and Community Coalition is a coalition of 140 member organizations who come together regularly to build a sustainable local food system by cultivating community action and building collaboration to implement effective programs, projects, and policies.