Tag: food (Page 4 of 4)

Aug 03: Tour of Drumlin Farm

Curious about local food production here in Massachusetts?  Interested in visiting a working farm?  Join Friends of MetroFuture at Drumlin Farm in Lincoln!  Explore the farm and field area and hear from a teacher naturalist about the challenges involved in growing and raising food locally and on a large scale.  Learn about the energy, quality of life, and ecological issues surrounding the food industry, including genetically modified food, land use, and management.  Make sure to dress appropriately as there will be some walking on dirt trails outdoors.  This is an all-weather event and it requires a fee of $9.25 per person that goes to Mass Audubon. (Photo Credit: Drumlin Farm).

10a.m.-12p.m. on August 3.

Directions and Parking Information are here.

RSVP here.

 

Mar 6: “Feeding 9 Billion While Maintaining the Planet” with Speaker Jason Clay

FEEDING 9 BILLION WHILE MAINTAINING THE PLANET

Tuesday, 3/6 @ 6:30 PM

Cabot 206

OneWorld and The Poverty and Power Research Initiative (PPRI) invites you to a discussion with Jason Clay, senior V.P. of the World Wildlife Fund. on the topic. We invite the Tufts community think about how to transparently grow more food without turning over more land to agricultural production, thus tackling the first steps toward sustainability in food production and consumption.

For more information about Dr. Jason Clay and his work with WWF, see the website.

Food, Farm, and Sustainability Institute Summer Program (Hampshire College)

I am thrilled to announce the inaugural Food, Farm, and Sustainability Institute at Hampshire College, a six week summer academic program designed for undergraduate students interested in sustainable agriculture and food studies. Please forward this email to anyone you know who might be interested in applying!

Overview: From June 4 to July 13, 2012, students, faculty, staff, and alumni will come together as a living and learning community at Hampshire College. Students will gain hands-on work experience with the guidance of the Hampshire College Farm Center staff, learn through inquiry-based projects mentored by faculty with a range of expertise, and acquire ownership of knowledge through independent research projects. The institute will follow food from its origin in the soil, through plant cultivation and animal management, address issues in public health and politics, and end up in the kitchen, breaking bread and assessing the character of the food we produce and eat. There will be numerous opportunities for community building through roundtable dinner discussions with local farmers and food producers, a weekly film series, and field trips to local farms emphasizing environmental and community sustainability.

Tuition for the six week program is $3,400, including communal lunch costs (students are responsible for breakfast and dinners as well as all weekend meals). Lodging is an additional $800 for students who wish to reside on campus. 
Hampshire recommends 8 academic credits for completion of the 6-week program. Students are encouraged to check with their home institutions for credit equivalent.

Online Application Deadline: March 1, 2012

For more detailed information about the Food, Farm, and Sustainability Institute, please visit the website: summer.hampshire.edu.
If you have any questions, please contact ffs@hampshire.edu.

Make an impact: choose your food wisely

Source: Tufts Photo

Do you know where your food comes from? When you pick up an apple after lunch in the dining hall or go grocery shopping on a Sunday afternoon, do you read labels to see if your food is local, organic, or whether it has traveled hundreds of miles to get to you?

Many of us don’t know the answers to these important questions, but we should. Every day, we vote – three times a day (probably more) – with our dollars based on what we choose to eat and consequently, the type of food industry we choose to support. In the growing battle between local, organic farming, and mass-produced international produce, most of us are unaware of how much power we have to make a difference. If you’re blindly picking the cheapest fruits and vegetables off the shelf, you may be unwittingly supporting poor labor practices and unfair working conditions, the use of untested pesticides, or corporate culture detrimental to communities. Not to mention, cheap food is often lacking in nutritional value—much of supermarket produce is artificially ripened and often genetically modified. (Did you hear about the petition asking Walmart not to sell unmarked, genetically modified engineered sweet corn from Monsanto?) When you choose cheap supermarket produce, you may not know the truth about the food you are purchasing.

Fortunately, though, it is becoming easier and more convenient to make good decisions about your food and the food producers you support.

Here at Tufts, there are a number of ways you can help support local, organic industry. Tufts Dining Services serves local, organic, and Fair Trade products in addition to vegetarian options, cage-free eggs, and certified sustainable seafood. By looking for these products and choosing to avoid options that are not sustainably produced, you can make healthier, more eco-friendly choices. In addition, you can leave comments in the dining halls requesting more sustainable products—Dining Services is very receptive to feedback and communicating that this is an issue that is important to you can have a large impact down the line. (The sale of single-serve bottled water was eliminated from Hodgdon thanks to a student petition.)

A sample of vegetables that comes with a farm share

Another option on campus this semester is to purchase a CSA farm share to support local farms. A CSA, which stands for Community Supported Agriculture, allows you to buy a share of a local farmer’s harvest. This is a great opportunity for consumers to invest in the local economy and purchase environmentally sustainable produce. This pilot program will run from February to April and you can get an individually packed box of fresh produce, delivered every Tuesday to the Office of Sustainability for pickup. There are different sizes available to suite different needs: a Small share (good for 1-2 people) is $24/week, Medium (good for 2-3 people) is $31/week, and Large (good for 4 or more people) is $42/week. The prices are very reasonable, especially when you consider how the CSA will replace the portion of your weekly grocery bill going to fruits and vegetables of questionable origin (and quality) with local, organic, fresh produce. To sign up, click here.

About Enterprise Farm

Enterprise Farm founder Dave Jackson and his family live onsite at the farm

Besides supporting local, organic agriculture, you will also be helping a wonderful social initiative. Enterprise Farm is an organic farm whose mission is to grow the best quality produce possible and care for their farmland in the process. They allow for direct farm-to-table purchasing by selling at farmer’s markets, through CSAs and in some local stores. By eliminating the middle man, they aim to sell fresh, high quality produce at low prices.
Enterprise Farm believes that great, fresh food is a right and helps families across the greater Boston area achieve this goal. They accept food stamps and donate produce to Food For Free in Cambridge, the Northampton Survival Center, and other food redistribution organizations. The farm has also created low-cost Senior Shares in partnership with Senior Whole Health to distribute to the elderly in Boston. Finally, the farm’s CSA-supported Mobile Market traveled to low-access communities in Franklin, Hampshire, Hampden, and Middlesex counties last summer with with fresh, local produce and a portable EBT machine. Through all of their initiatives, Enterprise Farm is helping advocate food justice and sustainability.

So, the next time you eat in the dining hall or go for a cup of coffee, think about all of the options available to you and the impact of your choices. Every decision you make about what to eat can either positively or negatively impact not only your own health, but the health and sustainability of the food systems upon which we all rely.

Jan 23: ALLLocal Dinner (Lexington, MA)

Start the New Year off right by eating and living well with a delicious, and meaningful ALLocal Dinner from nourish restaurant in Lexington.

Share in their commitment to health and whole foods by enjoying a mouthwatering, and sumptuously sustainable meal– sourced 100% locally, right down to the salt. As you dine, network with foodies and locavores as we engage in “A Conversation about Localizing Food,” hosted by the SBN. Our inspiring speakers include nourish’s Karen Masterson and JD Kemp, founder of Crop Circle Kitchen and Organic Renaissance/Food Ex.

Location: nourish, 1727 Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington, MA

Website:           http://nourishlexington.com/

Date: Monday, January 23, 2012

Time: 6:00-7:00 Networking & Cocktail Reception, 7:00-8:30 Dinner

Menu: A three-course meal with the option of local meatloaf, local seafood or vegan

local tempeh entree. Beverage and gratuity not included.

Guests: Join in the conversation with featured guests:

  • Laury Hammel – founder and executive director of Sustainable Business Network of Greater Boston
  • JD Kemp – owner and founder of FoodEx and Crop Circle Kitchen
  • Karen Masterson – founder and owner of nourish which is dedicated to responsibly sourced, reasonably priced food
  • Fan Watkinson – program director of Boston Local Food Program
  • Nicola Williams – president and owner of The Williams Agency, producer of Boston Local Food Festival

Price: $45 for food and food gratuity (beverage and beverage gratuity separate)

Transportation: There is a large metered parking lot located behind the restaurant. MBTA bus routes #62 and #76, serving Alewife Station, stop nearby.

Funds Benefit: Boston Local Food Program

Registration: These events sell out quickly! Register now by clicking here!

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