FIRST TALK: 7:00 PM - JOEL DISCUSSES THE ETHICS AND BEAUTY OF SUSTAINABLE FARMING AND EATING
Industrial food is aesthetically and aromatically unpleasant from production to supermarket. Although eating is arguably the most intimate thing humans do--next to the act of marriage--during the last few decades Americans have lost their dinner dance partner. Culinary skills and local food connections have been replaced with "No Trespassing" signs, bureaucratic paperwork, unpronounceable labels, bar codes, and beeping cash registers. The soul-satisfying act of eating is now a sterile, manufactured to-do item snarfed up on the run. Amidst this frenetic lifestyle, the neglected dinner dance partner beckons to return . . . at the farm, at farmers' markets, Community Supported Agriculture drop points, and in the kitchen. Polyface Farm's choreographed plant-animal symbiosis heals the landscape, the community, and the eater. A theatrical performance mixing humor and bomb-shell food system analysis, Salatin's stemwinder educates, entertains, and encourages.
SECOND TALK: 8:10 PM - JOEL TALKS ABOUT HOW HIS FAITH INFORMS HIS FARMING PRACTICES
What does a Bible-based farm look like? Does God care? What do Creator worshippers need to know about creation ethics? As a self-described Christian libertarian environmentalist capitalist lunatic farmer, Joel Salatin tackles these questions with humor and passion from a lifetime of meditation in the field and desire to bring the farm into captivity with the glory of God.
Joel Salatin, a third-generation alternative farmer in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, joined us in Berkeley to discuss symbiotic farming, local food, and the ethical and spiritual thread that “connects the field to the plate.” Joel’s family farm, Polyface Farm, is an innovative model of community-supported agriculture that seeks to develop emotionally, economically, and environmentally sustainable agricultural enterprises. Joel and his farm are featured in the movies Fresh and Food Inc, and in Michael Pollan’s book The Omnivore's Dilemma.
If you were unable to join us for the event the discussion is posted here
Through ticket sales for this event Project Peace was able to donate $2,500 to both People's Grocery and Oakland Food Connection. Thank you to everyone who purchased tickets to made this donation possible.
Below is an alphabetical list of participants in our event, including chefs, CSAs, farms, and other community organizations. Check them out!
The Ecology Center provides the public with reliable information, tools, hands-on training, referrals, strategies, infrastructure, and models for sustainable living. The Center runs Berkeley's residential curbside recycling program, the Berkeley Farmers' Markets, Farm Fresh Choice food justice program, EcoHouse demonstration home and garden, the Ecology Center Store, and a variety of Information and Climate Change Action programs.
CHEFS JAY HOLECEK AND ANGIE NEEDELS
Jay Holecek views whole foods as preventative medicine, and a window into our lives that we can use to develop healthy relationships to every other important part of life. He stays up to date on current food issues and research and incorporates them into some of the wise food traditions to create the healthiest, and most enjoyable, meals. His approach incorporates environmentally supportive cooking practices that focus on healing the body, mind, and spirit, emphasizing the use of traditionally prepared, primarily organic, plant-based whole foods and humanely raised and pastured animal products, the way God intended it.
Angie Needels created A Sensational Creation to bring nourishing meals to new mommies. All new moms feel some level of stress around having to worry about their own nutritional changes, their breastfeeding needs, as well as the nutritional needs of their new developing baby, yet this is the time when new mommies have the least amount of time to worry about it, let alone to shop and prepare meals for themselves. The moms she's worked with all say that they immediately feel more relaxed and in control of their time. They know they’re getting the right nutrition, and that their child is growing up healthy. They find that their babies sleep more soundly, have fewer digestive issues, colds, fevers, skin irritations and much, much more. Because they don’t have to do any of the work, they have all that extra time and energy to do what they want most: to create an everlasting bond with their new babies.
Food with Integrity: "the very best ingredients raised with respect for the animals, the environment, and the farmers"
CITY OF OAKLAND COMMUNITY GARDENING
In Oakland’s community gardening program, residents of all ages, cultures and backgrounds steward equitably distributed plots of land to grow organic vegetables, fruits and flowers. This program empowers participants to meet their need for health, recreation, good nutrition, job skills, community security and natural beauty. If you like to garden, call (510) 238-2197 for information on space availability and program details.
Eatwell Farm is a 105-acre organic farm located three miles north of Dixon, in the Sacramento Valley in Northern California. All the land is certified organic by California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF). Eatwell has been farming organically in Northern California since 1993, growing several of hundreds of different crops in order to allow for a constant harvest for their CSA.
Healthy Communities (link coming soon!) with Farm Fresh to You
Malibu Compost provides "food for your soil": The first certified biodynamic compost for the home gardener. Malibu Compost's products are certified biodynamic by Demeter® USA, the American chapter of the world’s only certifier of Biodynamic® farms and products. Demeter’s strict standards ensure the dairy cows that provide the manure that is the basis for their compost receive no genetically-modified feed and have access to the outdoors. Further, their farms grow at least one third of their cows’ diet on the property, make efforts to reduce pathogens, and make minimal turns on the compost, thereby enhancing fertility.
Marin Sun Farms is the extension of a family farm, nestled in the rolling grasslands of the Point Reyes National Seashore in Northern California. They are focused and committed to producing local, pasture based food for the Bay Area community with the aspiration of building a sustainable food model. They understand that an approach that mimics natural processes is the key to maintaining the stable functioning of our ecosystem. To that end, they raise 100% grass-fed beef, lamb, goat, pasture raised chickens, pork and simply the best eggs you've ever had.
Morris Grassfed Beef offers grassfed beef straight from the ranch to the customer. Every cent of your purchase goes to support rural communities, biodiversity on the lands they manage, and delicious, healthy food for your family.
OFC is a not-for-profit organization focused on Oakland's heritage of Food, Community and Culture. OFC promotes nutritional awareness, access to healthy foods and the connections between people and our planet. Go to the website to check out their amazing community programs and services, sign up for a monthly food party, or volunteer today! Oakland Food Connection is a 501(c)3 grassroots non-profit organization, existing on your kind tax-deductible donations. Their work and progress cannot exist without your support.
The mission of People's Grocery is to build a local food system that improves the health and economy of West Oakland. West Oakland is a community with the highest joblessness and chronic disease rates in the city—its residents also have limited access to healthy and fresh foods. Their work involves increasing local supply of fresh foods; advocating for living-wage business and job opportunities; and developing strong relationships and community leadership.
Shooting Star CSA is a 10 acre organic farm located in the Suisun Valley, in Fairfield, California. The CSA provides locally-grown, certified organic food from the farm, with dropsites in Berkeley, Oakland, San Francisco, Fairfield, Benicia, Vacaville, Walnut Creek, and Lafayette.
Three Stone Hearth's mission is to heal our community, our planet, and ourselves by building a sustainable model for community-scale food preparation and processing that honors culinary traditions and provides nutrient-dense foods for local households and beyond. They are located at 1581 University Avenue in Berkeley, CA 94703.
