More about the mobile market

I recently finished up my last time volunteering with the mobile market. I’ve posted about it before, but I wanted to share some images of what it looks like “in action”. I really enjoyed my experience with Arcadia Mobile Market and hope to stay involved in this capacity in the future!

A closeup of some of the offerings. The white board to the left lists prices of meat and dairy items that are stored inside the truck (for health safety reasons). It often includes a message about prices for people using SNAP – Arcadia matches SNAP purchases, so they end up getting a 50% discount at the register. Confused? For example, a dozen eggs costs $4. Arcadia will match what SNAP recipients pay for each item, so $2 will come out of the SNAP account and $2 will come from Arcadia’s matching funds. When the customer goes through the checkout process, all eligible items come up with the 50% off price. I don’t believe they have a limit to their matching program (at the market I work for, we match up to $15 for SNAP).

We set up a tent, sometimes two, outside of the truck to promote more produce. This layout usually changes based on where cars are parked, what the weather is like, and where the sun is located (to keep the fresh produce out of it). The table on the right usually holds two scales for weighing produce and completing the checkout process. The table on the left usually holds fresh bread and other produce that doesn’t fit on the racks or needs special storage. I think we were still in the process of setting up when I took these photos, so it is a bit disorganized.

Some of the cold storage inside. The two on the right are freezers and the one on the left is a fridge. Bungee cords are needed for a variety of things (including weighing tents and securing the metal racks in the truck) and are stored in easily accessible locations.

Another fridge. Excuse the mess! This is what happens when you frantically try to set up a market in a small space 🙂 Often times the staff have to run back to the fridge to restock. Also note the white board with a note on it; its a good system for staff to write down what is needed on the truck (since who is driving to which location can vary by week)

Peruvian Cooking Class

Wow, I’ve been meaning to post this for so long!

I’ve had the amazing opportunity in the past few months to take a Spanish immersion class on Friday afternoons. We practiced our speaking and reading skills, but also had experiences like meeting the artist who painted the South American-themed murals in a local hangout, and learning to make handmade tamales.

One of my favorite experiences in this class was a Peruvian cooking class, taught by a colleague who is from Peru and still has family there. She had the most amazing spices, grains, and recipes to share with us. Part of what I enjoyed most about the class was seeing cooking from another culture’s point of view. I’ve become very interested in food waste issues over the last few months, and one of the recipes we made used the peel of fresh pineapple (which usually gets thrown out) to make a flavorful drink. I never came across that idea in American culture, and I think it’s cool that Peruvians have been doing this for years and years and years! Also, it was interesting to use foods in different ways and different combinations than I am used to. As Viviana, our instructor, says, “in the kitchen, there are no rules!”

Here’s some photos from our class

The drink we made using pineapple peels, black corn (mostly for nutrition), Peruvian cinnamon (different from what I am used to), and other herbs. The corn gave the drink a pretty, dark color after boiling. We added more fruit scraps and once it cooled, added freshly squeezed lemon juice. Apparently this drink is the start of a great sangria… hmm…. 😉

Yummy spicy apples! These apples were coated with warming spices – maybe some chili and lime/lemon juice as well. This was a great mix of flavors I’ve not had together before!

Popped amaranth. People today think grains like quinoa and amaranth are new developments. Cultures around the world have been eating this amazingly nutritious grains for years.

Some of Viviana’s stash. I love how she stores her foods and would love to see her pantry (she says it is small). Muna is a special variety of mint.

Preparing our main dish for the evening! Ajiaco de papas – you can find a similar recipe here. I love that Viviana talked about the foods based on their nutrition properties and what they offer the body. A welcome change from American / modern culture that talks about how potatoes are too carby, cheese is too full of fat, etc. She really made the cooking and eating experience beautiful and I think if more people felt this way when cooking and eating, we’d have a much healthier America…

Let’s Starve the Landfills!

Did you catch this article recently in the New York Times?

I enjoyed it because it touches on the new vision of food waste – scraps and stems and peels and other things that we are accustomed to throwing out because it detracts from “the good stuff”.

But it’s all good stuff! And it tickles me that when people do this in their own homes, they are viewed as stingy, but when top chefs do it, it’s art!

Food waste isn’t just the apple that sat in the bottom of your fridge for too long and went bad. Food waste is the stems of herbs and greens, and the nutritious flesh that surrounds a bruise on a tomato.  Fancy-pants people in the food movement say that flaws like this give the food character. That’s true, but I think embracing and celebrating these flaws also makes eating healthy more realistic for the rest of the world!

I hope to check out Daily Table someday. I was also rather amused by the term “cucumber butts”. I like cucumber butts and I’m proud of it!

Want more about food waste? This is one of my favorite recipes. I often use the stems of broccoli and other “leftover” foods, like a couple stalks of celery or a few carrot sticks, in place of the veggies listed here. I use as much or as little as I have for the recipe, then blend it all up! Yum! Make it and share it with others! (Tip: keep the veggies in the freezer until you are ready to use them!)

Also, check out this marketing campaign in Europe that embraces the uglies.

History of Emergency Food in the US

My work has exposed me to political issues of food access, like policies affecting SNAP and other various Farm Bills, etc.

I recently found this Prezi timeline developed by WhyHunger which helped me organize the concepts I’ve learned about and understand them better in a social context – I found the timeline format useful because I could relate the food issues to other events happening in those time periods.

Check it out for yourself here: History of Emergency Food in the US

Not your Grandpa’s farm – but what is it?

“Old-fashioned”, “hard work”, and “industrial” aren’t sexy words.  Nor are most of the words people associate with farming today. But farms today aren’t the same farms your grandfather worked on – there are new technologies and innovations  that most people won’t bat an eye about. We consume food every single day, and yet, until it becomes more exciting than our tablets, iPhones, and reality TV, most people could not care one bit about where it comes from and how it’s made.

So, how to resolve this? The issue is that “Those of us who strive to bring about a sustainable food system need a message that’s dynamic enough to convert fast-food junkies,” says Joel Salatin, in this article, “….So what kind of messaging — what lexicon — works? It has to be big enough, innovative enough, sacred enough to capture the hearts of all types of people. How do you stop people in their tracks — people content to watch TV every waking hour, depend on pharmaceuticals for every malady, and assume all is well in the world as long as the Kardashians’ dysfunction continues to provide conversational material? How do you interrupt that?”

Salatin encourages readers to challenge their mindset and define a “new-fashioned food system”. I enjoyed this article because it acknowledges some of the realizations and struggles I have had since becoming interested in the food movement (and explaining my interest to myself and others). As someone who studied marketing, I am super cynical about anyone trying to reframe a situation using buzz words and other tactics, but this article made a lot of sense to me. I encourage you to check it out, if only to learn why farms today are not your Grandpa’s farm!

Need Inspiration on Supporting the Food Movement?

The following is an email I received recently from Food Tank, a nationally recognized organization that works to alleviate hunger and poverty. I love the suggestions they have for supporting farmers. Enjoy!

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Here are 11 ways to help the next generation of farmers nourish future consumers.

Please consider sharing this article that we originally wrote for the Christian Science Monitor by clicking HERE (and don’t forget to include #FoodTank). Also, feel free to check out this op-ed I wrote yesterday for the Guardian called “the new yuppies: how to build a new generation of tech-savvy farmers.”

1. Join a Community Supported Agriculture program (CSA) or shop at a local farmers market: These avenues are the most direct ways to support local farmers. A CSA is a program in which members purchase a share of vegetables from a local farmer in regular installments over the course of the season. In a neighborhood CSA, members take on administrative and management duties, allowing the farmer to focus on growing and delivering quality vegetables.

2. Donate: Consider donating to organizations whose mission is to look out for the interests of young farmers. Donations to the Rodale Institute funds research to support economically viable organic agriculture. Contributing to the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Servicehelps farmers implement sustainable practices which utilize innovations in science and technology. Or, support representatives from the NYFC who speak up for young farmers in local and national political arenas.

3. Be informed: Visit EatWild for information on how young farmers are more likely to implement grass-farming systems, and read about the other ways young farmers are using sustainable practices. The Greenhorns, a nonprofit, grassroots organization that connects and recruits new farmers through media, created a documentary film about the struggles of new farmers. Watch the film, or explore their events calendar and other media outlets, to find out more.

4. Tell policymakers: Let government officials know that young farmers are key to the future of agriculture by supporting policies that make farming a viable option for those just starting out. Join Food Tank in asking local officials to provide services and aid for new farmers by clicking here.

5. Volunteer: Volunteering time and skills can be invaluable. When community members offer their own skills, farmers can spend more time nurturing the land. Reach out to a local farmer’s market to inquire about opportunities. The Young Farmer Network recruits volunteers for varying aspects of the national program, from media and advertising to event planning.

6. Be hands-on: Visiting a working farm can be educational and fun. Use the LocalHarvest farm directory and take a family trip, or group of friends, to learn about the inner workings of a local farm. Knowledge and exposure to farm life will help invest future generations in local agriculture. For long-term farm work, including internships or apprenticeships, visit WWOOF or GoodFoodJobs.

7. Share with friends: Chef and author Bryant Terry encourages individuals to help by “making a delicious meal and sharing it with friends to illustrate how wonderful this food can be … then encouraging them to have a similar way of getting their own food.” Sharing sustainable practices and food experiences with others will motivate them to support young farmers.

8. Join a co-op: Most co-ops strive to stock their shelves with locally grown food. Co-ops keep prices low by relying on the participation and management of its members, while still paying farmers fair prices. Search the directory to find a local co-op.

9. Find your favorite foods locally: Many farmers in the United States use LocalHarvest to reach out to a wider community. Check to see if your farm-fresh favorites are available nearby or online.

10. Spread the word: Social media is powerful. Telling others about a budding farm or agriculture event via social media can bring awareness and understanding of this issue to an even wider audience. Spread the word on opportunities, like how to become a Global Community Champion or enter the Real Food Media Contest and use #FoodTank to keep us updated!

11. Join young farmer organizations and mentoring programs: Help cultivate the next generation of farmers by mobilizing and engaging youth to start careers in agriculture. Play a big role in beginning farmers’ careers by joining the National Young Farmers Coalition, the National Farmers Union, Young Professionals for Agricultural Development, Farmer to Farmer, and more.

What are some other ways to support the next generation of food leaders? Email me anytime at danielle@foodtank.com or tweet at me using the #FoodTank hashtag.

All the best,

Danielle Nierenberg
President, Food Tank
foodtank.com