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Sustainable Communities Network
is a commnity-based non-profit organization located in
Lexington, Ky that endeavors to educate, inspire, build, create and
empower sustainable cities
2010 Fundraising Letter
FR Letter with links
We welcome any amount of contributions to our on-going programs
Thanks for your donation!
We encourage you to read our
SCN Annual Report 2009
Back 2 Nature project Report
Sustainable Communities Network contributed articles, photographs and quotes for this book.
Join the Bluegrass garden network!
SCN For current Community Gardening events in Lexington, click any of the images below
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March
2010
Print
version
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In
this edition: |
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Slow Food
key
words
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Taste
Education
Taste Education was developed by Slow Food to help people
to make daily choices about food with awareness and responsibility,
allowing the consumer to become an active part of the
change process by choosing good, clean and fair food –
a coproducer. Our approach to food education is based
on the reawakening and training of the senses and the
study of all aspects of food – from farm to fork.
It is based on the idea that food means culture, conviviality
and pleasure, and the act of eating can influence values,
attitudes and emotions. Taste Education projects are organized
at all levels and for everyone, from children and teachers
to members and event-goers, and are often organized at
the local level by Slow Food convivia.
Click
here for more information
<
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From Land to Table... |
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Terra
Madre 2010
Cultures and indigenous
languages at the fourth world meeting of the network |
More than 5,000 representatives from the worldwide Terra
Madre network will meet in Turin, Italy for the fourth
time this October 21 to 25 - coinciding once again with
the international Slow Food fair Salone del Gusto. The
five-day meeting will bring together food communities,
cooks, academics, youth and musicians from all over the
world, who are united in a desire to promote sustainable
local food production in harmony with the environment
while respecting knowledge handed down over the generations.
A new feature in 2010 will be a focus on cultural and
linguistic diversities - in recognition of the need to
defend minority ethnic groups and indigenous languages,
and with an appreciation of the value of oral traditions
and memory. At the opening ceremony, representatives of
indigenous communities from all continents across the
world will speak to the audience in their native languages.
The second day will be dedicated to examining eight crucial
issues for the future of agriculture and the planet (from
biodiversity to renewable energies and education to traditional
knowledge). On the third day communities will meet in
national and regional sessions, while on the fourth day
Earth Workshops will be held.
The official closing session of Terra Madre will be marked
by the presentation of a program of proposals from the
Terra Madre network for a sustainable future.
There will be specific opportunities during the event
to receive information, to present projects involving
taste education (gardens, canteen projects etc.) or food
biodiversity (Presidia and Earth Markets) and to organize
Terra Madre Day in your community or country - with the
second edition to be held on December 10, 2010 around
the world. The Terra Madre youth network will play an
important role during the event.
For Terra Madre information and updates: www.terramadre.org
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Profiling
Producers
Slow Food UK
captures small-scale farmers, cider brewers, bakers
and cheesemakers on film
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United Kingdom -
“We started our Profiling Producers Project in the
highest corner of the United Kingdom, in Inverness, and
worked our way down to Edinburgh and Glasgow, visiting
farmers and producers who are working to make Slow Food’s
philosophy reality in their region. I was introduced to
my first herd of Highland cattle, the cheese-making process,
and had my first sip of single malt Scotch whisky. I was
shown what a true head of lettuce and tomato should taste
like and received a fascinating education on the varieties
and history of apples. On reaching England my first adventure
was at a Devon farm where the cattle grazed freely. In
Somerset, the convivium leader conveyed her vast knowledge
of bread-making and food to me, before I went onto Lincolnshire
where I was introduced to black and silver turkeys and
a thriving vegetable box scheme at the Woodlands Farm.
I met various bakers and millers, tasted Perry, and visited
an eco conference centre in Berkshire. The producers were
all extremely hospitable and imparted a love of the land
and food that was inestimable. I hope you enjoy these
videos."
Clover Lalehzar
cloverlalehzar@hotmail.com
To view the video profiles of all the producers visited
during the project, visit Slow
Food UK
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An
Apple a Day
Working to restore
diversity with the Year of the Heirloom Apple in
America |
USA – Americans once grew and
ate some 15,000 to 16,000 apple varieties, but today Red
Delicious comprises 41% of the nation’s apple crop
and just eleven varieties make up 90% of all apples sold
in grocery stores. With roughly nine out of ten apple
varieties historically grown in the U.S. at risk of disappearing
completely from the nation’s orchards and kitchens,
the Renewing America's Food Traditions (RAFT) Alliance
has decided to take action and celebrate 2010 as the Year
of the Heirloom Apple.
The RAFT group of food, farming, environmental and culinary
advocates, managed by Slow Food USA, is working to compile
the first national strategy for saving and restoring heirloom
apple varieties. The proposal is for 90 endangered apple
varieties to be identified in each region to be promoted
to orchards, cider producers, restaurants and kitchens
in order to revitalize the nation’s once strong
“apple culture”. This project is part of RAFT’s
efforts to preserve and promote old and unusual food varieties
and breeds across the country.
Click
here to download RAFT’s newly released Forgotten
Fruits Manual & Manifesto – Apples, compiled
and edited by Gary Paul Nabhan; introduction by Ben Watson.
Read more about this issue Slow Food USA website: www.slowfoodusa.org
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Slow
Pickings |
Australia – Meanwhile, the Picking
slow fruit campaign is asking Australians to capture images
and information about historic fruit and nut trees and
orchards in order to create a national register of heirloom
fruits. Interested people are asked to photograph the
tree or orchards in question, and complete an information
form with as much information as they can discover about
the tree/orchard, variety and fruiting season. A photographic
competition is also being held as part of the project,
with an award for the best shots of trees and fruit in
each state or territory, and across the nation.
For more information please email: slow.fruit@slowfoodaustralia.com.au
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Label
Detectives
A credit-card
sized magnifying glass for reading food labels in
Turkey |
Turkey–Thousands of Istanbul’s
residents are now carrying around a "Label Detective"
card in their wallet thanks to a new initiative of Slow
Food Fikir Sahibi Damaklar designed to make it easier
for consumers to read the tiny print on food packaging.
Members of the convivium handed out around 5,000 mini-magnifying
glasses before and after two packed screenings of Food,
Inc. at the !f International Independent Film Festival,
along with an information leaflet on choosing “real”
food.
Following their recent campaigning to ban GMOs in Turkey,
convivium leader Defne Koryürek said, "we realized
it is not only the GMOs that consumers need to be aware
of, it's the whole line of production. Most food labels
in Turkey are unreadable. We wanted to raise awareness
that there is a list of ingredients on each and every
product, that producers are trying to hide them, and that
so many things we do not use in an ordinary kitchen are
in these foods.”
The convivium is also working to promote awareness of
these issues from an early age. In one program, children
are taught how to bake bread and then visit stores to
search for healthy bread that has been made using only
the natural ingredients that they used in the production
of their own loaves.
For more information:
Defne Koryürek
Slow Food Fikir Sahibi Damaklar
dkoryurek@gmail.com
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Celebrating
Forest Preserves
Siberian children
reconnect with traditional foods prepared for the
winter pantry… |
Russia - In the mountainous territory
of Gornaya Shoria in southern Siberia, the villagers forage
berries, more than 60 types of mushrooms, pine nuts and
other produce from the forests, and use the harvest to
prepare preserves for the long winter. Working together
in groups to gather and process the fruits, communities
would traditionally produce a wide range preserves according
to the season. However, this is occurring less today as
more and more families are attracted to the easy option
of mass-produced products.
To reconnect local children to this rich tradition and
celebrate the foods tied to their landscape and culture,
the Terra Madre food community of Shoria Preserves Producers
organized a children's “Jam Day” earlier this
year in the village of Kameshek. The children tasted various
preserves, sang traditional Russian songs, and enjoyed
games and a blind jam-tasting contest.
“Following the success of the day, the community
is hoping to repeat the activity and to share the results
with communities around the world,” said project
coordinator Elena Malyavko. “We sincerely believe
that just as a farmer throwing seeds into the ground will
see new growth, by educating young children about the
importance of these issues we can help ensure they are
careful about retaining their own traditions as adults.
Furthermore, by connecting these children with other children
involved in similar projects around the world, they will
develop a sense of the special features of their region,
and develop a genuine interest in solving global problems”.
Any communities or convivia who are undertaking
similar projects and would like to build a relationship
with this project in Siberia are invited to contact Elena.
Elena Malyavko
Shoria Preserves Producers food community
ecolist@mail.ru
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Slow
Food in the Canteen
A city school
canteen is transformed in Denmark |
Denmark - Last December the Klostervaegts
School, located in an area of Copenhagen with one of the
highest densities of foreign residents, initiated a project
to bring good, clean and fair food to the school canteen.
The project now involves around 160 students (out of a
total of 250 at the school) from 6 to 14 years old, with
children from each class taking turns to prepare the daily
lunch menu - helping to cook, serve, and clean up after
the meal. Through being involved in the preparation of
dishes from raw ingredients, which are all organically
grown and locally sourced, students learn about the origin
of the foods and learn to avoid wasting ingredients. In
order to attract the student’s interest, the canteen
lunches were provided free of charge for the first two
months and many pupils now continue to choose the canteen
on a payment basis.
The program, introduced by young cook and Copenhagen convivium
member Amalie Ørsted, is now part of a larger project
run by Madhus (Food House) in Copenhagen, a body funded
by the local authority to improve the quality of food
in schools and raise young people’s awareness of
food choices. The success of the project has been noted
in the region, and it is already being replicated in similar
projects in six schools.
Contacts:
Amalie Ørsted
malle61@hotmail.com
Katrine Klinken
katrine@klinken.dk
Convivium SF Copenhagen
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From
Pond to Pan
Slow Food Hong
Kong educates about sustainable fish |
Denmark - “Strolling though
the fish and seafood markets in Hong Kong is a feast
for the senses. Stallholders in waterproof aprons and
rubber boots sell their fresh-off-the-boat catch, yelling
out to passers-by who may well get splashed by a wriggling
red mullet. However, while the vast majority of the
catch is from local waters, traditionally the sustainability
of fish stocks has never been a priority. Given the
deteriorating situation of our seas, our convivium has
decided to dedicate our annual program of activities
and events to a Slow Fish campaign in 2010. To begin,
we held an educational dinner at one of the growing
number of Hong Kong restaurants that are becoming concerned
about serving sustainable seafood. Our members enjoyed
both traditional and modern seafood recipes, with the
chefs basing their choices on a local sustainable seafood
guide.
Our campaign activities also include popular family
outings to a freshwater fishpond site, where fish are
raised using ecologically friendly aquaculture methods.
During the day, parents and children experience a traditional
net-harvest, and follow the fresh catch through all
stages: from the pond to the plate. The day is very
educational for the parents as well, who learn about
small-scale organic fish farming and some of the massive
problems that exist with conventional approaches to
aquaculture.”
Slow Food Hong Kong is currently looking for
partners to aid in their education work. Email Annabel
for more information.
Annabel Jackson
Slow Food Hong Kong Convivium Leader
annabel.jackson@gmail.com
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Index >
Voices
from Terra Madre
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Nutrition
through Tradition
Emmy
Adisah Otwombe is a nutritionist who
works to promote traditional healthy foods in
Kenya. She talks to us about her work and motivation
and her experience at a global Terra Madre gathering... |
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Kenya
– My work spans twenty districts
in Kenya's Eastern Province. I travel
across this area providing training in
a number of food-related issues, particularly
in establishing kitchen gardens, working
with gender issues in agriculture, and
promoting traditional healthy Kenyan foods.
I work mostly with farming communities,
women’s groups and young people
from schools or who are involved in agriculture.
Together with
community members and agricultural outreach
officers, I develop and promote recipes
based upon local and traditional foods
and encourage their use amongst farmers
and communities, as well as hotels and
catering services. I have also written
manuals on the utilization of these foods
for local officers and farmers.
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Click
here to read Emmy’s full story
on the Terra Madre website.
Emmy Adisah Otwombe
addisah2004@yahoo.com
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Food
Traditions
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Argan
Oil on Screen
A new DVD educates
Argan Oil producers in Morocco
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Morocco –
Using new tools to reinforce old traditions, a DVD was
produced earlier this year in the Amazigh language,
the main language spoken by argan oil producers, to
help train and educate women's cooperatives involved
in the oil's production. Produced by the Argan Oil Presidium
founder Zoubida Charrouf in collaboration with the Ibn
Al Baytar Association, the production is part of
a wider education project aiming to improve literacy
among the women's cooperatives and encourages the Presidium’s
goals to protect the endemic argan tree as well as encourage
oil producers to adhere to traditional practices.
Featuring a number of talented Amazigh artists of the
region, the DVD covers information on production techniques,
environmental issues, the importance of the protected
geographical indication for argan, and marketing and
promotion of the products. An additional Amazigh language
DVD on argan oil tasting will soon be released by the
Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity as part of the
Argan Oil Presidium project supported by the Piedmont
Region of Italy.
For more information:
Zoubida Charrouf
zcharrouf@menara.ma
Click
here for more information on the Argan Oil
Presidium.
A Recipe from The
Gold of Arganeraie: 33 Moroccan recipes based on argan
oil
Chermoula
Choumicha Acharki
2 cloves garlic
1 bunch parsley
4 tablespoons coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
8 tablespoons argan oil
4 tablespoons vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 teaspoon pepper
Preparation time: 1⁄4 hour
Chop up the cloves of garlic, coriander and parsley.
Put the chopped mixture in a dish. Add the argan oil,
vinegar, salt and all the spices (cumin, paprika, pepper).
Mix carefully.
Chermoula is a typical Moroccan sauce mainly served
with grilled fish. It also goes well with other dishes
due to its harmonious blend of flavors and aromas. It
only takes 15 minutes to prepare and can be kept up
to two weeks in a refrigerator.
The
Gold of Arganeraie: 33 Moroccan recipes based on argan
oil is produced by the Slow Food Foundation
for Biodiversity with the support of the Piedmont region
of Italy.
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to Index >
Food
for Thought
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GMO
Struggles
From Mexico
to Brussels, Slow Food protests against the introduction
of GMO crops |
Belgium – The decision this
month to approve a genetically modified (GM) potato
to be grown on a commercial scale in the EU, the first
such decision for 12 years, sparked protest among environmentalists,
consumers and farmers, with Slow Food among the organizations
speaking up against the decision. The potato, developed
by BASF to contain a higher percentage of starch, was
approved by EU Commissioner for Health and Consumer
Policy, John Dalli, and is expected to be mainly grown
in Germany, with authorization for use in animal feed.
"It is very serious,” commented Carlo Petrini,
president of Slow Food International, “that this
commissioner’s first action is to break an indisputable
moratorium introduced precisely out of concern for our
health. This demonstrates how the issue is being decided
on the basis of the economic interests of the multinationals,
without taking into consideration the as-yet unknown
dangers to public health.
Click
here to read Ten Reasons to Oppose GMOs
by Carlo Petrini.
Campaign group Avvaz.org has launched an online
petition to collect one million voices for a ban on
GM foods until independent research is done. EU citizens
can click
here to add their name.
Mexico - The EU's decision followed
a ruling in Mexico last month that gave private companies
the go ahead for the first legal plantings of GM corn
following a decade-long battle. Opponents are concerned
that modified genes could spread and contaminate genetically
valuable native varieties. The Slow Food Tehuacán
Mixteca Popoloca Convivium have launched a campaign
to protect traditional varieties of maize, with an aim
to educate family and farmer organizations about the
richness of their country's biodiversity, encouraging
the Mexican community to be proud of their cultural
heritage and to work for its revitalization. In addition,
they wish to alert government and policy makers to the
severe impact that this decision will have on the life
of Mexican farmers.
Click
here to read the full article.
India – In a significant period
worldwide for GM opponents, a new law has been proposed
in India that could land citizens in jail for criticizing
GM products. The law, proposed by the country's Ministry
of Science and Technology, would imprison any Indian
citizen who questions the safety of any GM food or medicine
for a minimum period of six months. The Bill has come
under attack by several civil society activists. "This
is a gag order, absolutely draconian and in violation
of the Indian constitution which guarantees the fundamental
right to freedom of speech and expression," said
Supreme Court lawyer Prashant Bhushan. The proposal
comes at a time when heated debate has consumed the
country over the proposed introduction of India's first
GM food, Bt brinjal eggplant, whose introduction was
stalled by environment minister Jairam Ramesh until
further testing is undertaken.
Click
here to read the full article.
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to Index >
In
Print, On Screen
On March 22 the United
Nation's World Water Day drew international attention
to the importance of fresh water and advocated for the
sustainable management of freshwater resources. As part
of this celebratory day of action, we have selected
a range of books and films that offer an insight into
the complexity of issues that surround this essential
resource.
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Blue
Gold: World Water Wars
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Blue Gold, a powerful
book and film of the same name, documents the rise of
a rapidly proliferating enterprise enabled by recent
international trade agreements: the privatization and
commodification of water. This documentary exposes the
unsettling truth of how transnational corporations are
laying claim to the world's dwindling fresh water supply.
Blue Gold: World Water Wars, Maude
Barlow & Tony Clarke
Click
here for more information on the book (available
in 16 languages and 47 countries) and film or to purchase.
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The
Water Harvester
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Zvishavane in southern Zimbabwe
is an arid terrain where small-scale farmers struggle
with fragile soils and erratic rainfall, and water is
a supremely precious natural resource. Yet it was here
that peasant farmer Zephaniah Phiri had the wisdom,
vision and strength of character to transform a resource-starved
subsistence plot into a fertile smallholding. This book
is his true story. More than a simple environmental
story, The Water Harvester reveals the survival
strategies and character of a man with immense courage,
wisdom and generosity.
The Water Harvester, Mary Witoshynsky,
Weaver Press, 2000.
Click
here for more information.
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Voices
from the Waters 2010: The 5th International
Film Festival on Water
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The fifth edition of the largest international film
festival on water is currently calling for contributions
on films on water and related issues. To be held in
September in Bangladore, India, Voices of the Waters
showcases handpicked films that deal with the many dimensions
of the water crisis.
Click
here for more information.
A large selection of films which deal with various environmental,
social and food issues around water can be found here
on the Environmental
Film Festival site.
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Farmed
Salmon Exposed
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Canadian filmmaker Damien Gillis provides a shocking
exposé of the environmental and social devastation
inflicted by the Norwegian salmon farming industry around
the world. Released as part of the Pure Salmon Campaign's
Global Week of Action, the documentary is now available
online.
Click
here to view.
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to Index >
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It is an important
moment for the future of agriculture - and therefore
for the future of our planet. We seem to have
reached the final stages of a battle that has
gone on for years and which will decide the fate
of the war. On one side are the multinational
companies with their seeds and agricultural chemicals,
accompanied by powerful lobbies trying to influence
governments, markets and unions. On the other
side are citizens, organic and biodynamic farmers,
as well as conventional farmers using chemicals
in a legal and sensible way. They are joined by
consumers who do not see any earthly reason why
they should abandon well-known food products they
can identify with and trust for new foods they
did not ask for and which have not been sufficiently
trialed. And this is our first warning: since
when does food have to be tested? These new products
are also to a large extent unnecessary, as well
as potentially harmful for our health and the
environment.
Ignoring the opinions of citizens and sustainable
farmers, Europe has given the go ahead to the
commercial growing of genetically modified crops.
But at the same time they have given member countries
the right of veto within their own borders. A
number of European countries, including Italy,
have said no to GMOs, and we hope others will
also do so soon.
We need to summon up our patience, cleverness
and control. The next two or three years will
be decisive: there will be increasingly strong
pressures, increasingly rapid maneuvers, and increasingly
antidemocratic decisions. We must be vigilant
and not let down our guard: The role of everyone
who cares for our planet has never been so crucial.
Carlo Petrini
President of Slow Food International
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Slow Food is working
to help communities around the world to rebuild
their local food systems in order to eat better,
protect the environment and maintain cultural diversity.
Help us further these concrete solutions for change.
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| Join
a worldwide |
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community
that defends sustainable agriculture, fishing
and breeding. Celebrate the pleasure of food traditions
and quality foods around the world.
servicecentre
@slowfood.com
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CALENDAR
Markt
Des Guten Geschmacks
Stuttgart, Germany
April 15 – 18, 2010
Grandmothers’
Day
International
April 25, 2010
Burren
Slow Food Festival
Ireland
May 21 – 23, 2010
Terra Madre Argentina
Buenos Airies, Argentina
July 8-11, 2010
Terra Madre Balkans
Sofia, Bulgaria
July 8-10, 2010
Janecka Vecer
Mavrovo National Park, Macedonia
July 26 - 27 2010
Salone del Gusto
Turin, Italy
October 21 -25, 2010
Terra Madre
Turin, Italy
October 21 -25, 2010
Terra
Madre Day
International
December 10, 2010
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Slow Food Almanac
The Slow Food Almanac 2008 can be viewed
in electronic format here.
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Slow Food and
Terra Madre
in figures
Members: 100,000
Convivia: 1,300
Countries: 150
Presidia: 314
Ark of Taste products: 903
Earth Markets: 10
School gardens: 300
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ACE Weekly download articles
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HOBY Eco-Art 2009
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Model of the Year
Closing the Food Gap
Greening of Bryan Station High School
Growing Food & Justice conference
Community Garden Tour Report
Gardening with Class
The
Great Work
The Great Turning
Farm to School
School gardens
Catherine Ferguson Academy
Grown in Detroit_
Food and Sacred Earth Connections
Religion and Environment
Closing the Food Gap 2008
Profile of Food Policy Councils by State
interactive
map of food policy councils
 Climate Change portal information
Climate Change Books
|
