A message from SB co-founder Richard Olson concerning the NFFs
The Neighborhood Food Feast (NFF) is designed to encourage people to gather in their neighborhood to share food and to begin the discussion about How Can Berea Feed Itself.
Why do we need to talk about Berea and food? For starters, we eat a lot – about 80,000 pounds of food a day to feed the city. And most of our food is produced outside the city, some of it as far away as California, China or Mexico. On average, a bite of food travels 1500 miles to reach Berea.
It takes energy to transport the food, along with energy to grow, process and prepare it – about 10 calories of fossil fuels for each calorie of food that we eat. But global production of oil has peaked, and as the availability of energy declines, the price of food and the amount of food grown will decline. World food prices are near record levels, and when climate change, soil erosion, and population growth are considered, continued price increases and shortages are likely.
Even today, food security is low for many in Berea as the recession increases demand for food assistance from the Berea Food Bank and other sources. For many Bereans, however, the problem is too much poor quality, highly processed and high-sugar food. Obesity, diabetes, and other diseases of poor nutrition are prevalent in Berea. And the local economy suffers as food dollars leave the community.
Reliance on the global food system leaves Berea poorly fed and facing the threat of rising prices and possible disruptions of supply.
In contrast, a strong local food system would provide:
- Fresher, more nutritious food
- Greater resilience in the face of disruptions to the global food system
- Support for local farmers and retailers, and a boost to the local economy
How can we develop a local food system and what might it look like? Come to a neighborhood food feast and share your ideas and suggestions. Inputs from all the NFFs will be compiled in a report and forwarded to city council and other government officials. The report will also be posted on the Sustainable Berea website to promote on-going conversation about this critical issue.
What else happens at an NFF potluck? We have a jigsaw puzzle about sustainable food habits for the kids (of all ages)
There is a trivial pursuit game with all the questions about food that have been made up by Bereans. We have a list of 25 sustainable food steps and a Kentucky Proud flier listing seasonal foods grown in Kentucky for each attendee. There will be a prize for the potluck with the largest number of people and another prize for the potluck that generates the best comments to help the local food economy.
If you do not have a potluck in your neighborhood, join one of your choice and let your voice be heard.
To find a potluck near you, click here.
