I am a firm believer in the importance of local, sustainable, and nutritious food systems and a strong environmental advocate. For a senior project at my high school I researched the topic of eating locally, food production, and the environmental effects. I interviewed three professionals in the fields or organic farming, community supported agriculture, and international farming policies. I felt the best way to share this information and to enlighten the public about the incredible local food resources and the harsh effects conventional agriculture was by hosting a locally made dinner and presentation. Topics of my presentation included the economic advantages of eating locally, pesticide use, food security, and the use of genetically engineered crops in agriculture. Over a three month time period I visited local farms and farmers markets, wrote letters in search of donations and networked with those who I felt could help me with my project. I made numerous phone calls to organize donations and a location for my event. I also compiled a list of web resources, books and local organizations for those who were interested in getting involved. I kept a daily journal on my project to develop my opinion on various articles and resources I was reading as well as to communicate with my mentor.
On the day of my event I set the dinning area and prepared a dinner of local foods raised and grown in the Hudson Valley of New York. A menu including free range chicken, salad greens, spinach and goat cheese quiche with a local wheat crust, spelt grain salad with snap peas, beef braised in local wine and mushrooms, lemon balm and mint tea, apples, and a dessert of ice cream with strawberries and maple syrup was served. Approximately forty guests attended including farmers, local food enthusiasts, and interested community members. Everyone was impressed by the possibilities of local food and took away information about how they could become a steward of the environment through eating locally as well as getting involved in local organizations. Local farms received advertising and publicity as well as praise and recognition for their role in creating a local food system.
Keeping small farms and sustainable agriculture in New York is vital to the local economy as well as land preservation. Many farms are being bought by developers ruining not only scenic views, but turning a traditional farming area into suburban sprawl. Having small farmers who are aware of the land on which they grow is a key factor in the health of our environment. Through community awareness, a local food system can be achieved. Pesticide pollution, petroleum use for transportation, and monoculture fields of crops can be kept to a minimum, protecting the environment we live in.
The completion of this project has inspired me to continue work in this field. I plan to pursue a bachelors in environmental policy and a master’s degree in agricultural policy. My project has given me the opportunity to complete an internship this summer through the Rondout Valley Growers Association and the Serve and Learn America chapter in Kingston, New York. The internship involves working on a food to school garden at a local elementary school, establishing a new garden at the middle school, organizing donations of farm fresh produce to local food pantries in Ulster County, New York, and building a community garden at the Snyder’s Estate in Rosendale, New York. For more information on the internship visit our blog. http://www.rvgainternship2009.blogspot.com
· Date: August 17, 2009 · Views: 6700 · File size:18.1kb, 143.1kb · : 1024 x 683 ·
Project Results
Hours Volunteered: 3000
Volunteers: 15
Authors Age & Age Range of Volunteers: 19 & 9 to 62
