Food Systems 101

8 Have Dabbled

Carousel dscn0267
ABOUT THIS EVENT
Event Category

Education

Event Overview

What is the Food System? What works well and what doesn’t? Why does it matter? What's possible?

Why do we eat what we eat? Who chooses what choices you have? Why is Food so confusing? What are the consequences? Come explore our Food System and be part of a pilot project to bring more democracy to it.

In this class we'll:
*Go on an entertaining 'Food Road Trip.'
*Map the parts of the existing Food Chain, from seed to stomach.
*Explore the consequences, both good and bad.
*Look into the responses and alternatives.
*Learn about the rules behind the system
*Participate in a pilot project that develops platform to get Food to be a bigger issue in the halls of power



This class is perfect for anyone interested in reclaiming knowledge of the farm-and-food economy and wants to participate in the political process in a meaningful way.

 
P.S. Mac and Cheese Productions, Belmont & Ravenswood (edge of Roscoe Village), is our sponsor host. It's a sweet residential venue, and after registration, we'll send you an email directly with the address.
http://macncheeseproductions.com/

What to Bring

perhaps a sweater, as the venue can be on the cool side.

Minimum age

All ages welcome

What's Provided

handouts, a homemade snack & a signed copy of the children's book "An Environmental Guide from A to Z"

Cancellation Policy
Location

There are currently no upcoming dates scheduled for this Dabble. Log in to an account message the host or add to your bucket list to be automatically notified when new dates are posted.

MORE ABOUT YOUR HOST

Leader: Tim Magner
Tim is a student of the food system, through books, lectures and first-hand experience with experts. He founded and directed the Truck Farm Chicago project. The farm-on-wheels delivered food and wellness programming to more than 10,000 students over the last three years. Prior to Truck Farm, Tim wrote books that connected kids to nature. Over the last six years, Tim has spent time in more than 150 different schools. He’s also visited and worked on several midwest farms, learning the business of growing and selling food. Tim’s a Chicago area native, but spent a decade or so after school working across the country, including Massachusetts, Colorado, New York, and Minnesota. He’s currently developing a forum to help make the complex understandable. More information is available on the websites:
http://www.greensugarpress.com, http://www.truckfarmchicago.org, and http://www.whatthehellsgoingon.com

CO-Leader: Debbie Hillman
Debbie facilitates action learning for any group of adults who want to be food-and-farm citizens -- to build regional food and farm economies and re-design governments to be more responsive to everyone's food-and-farm needs. Action learning includes a combination of earth knowledge, policy development, civic engagement, strategic partnerships, and spiritual development.  

Debbie is an Illinois native and has lived in Evanston, IL since 1976, where she was a professional gardener for 25 years (plus editor and cabinet-maker).   In 2005, she co-founded the Evanston Food Council, which led to landmark state legislation (Illinois Food, Farms, and Jobs Act, 2007), a food plan for Illinois (Local Food, Farms, and Jobs: Growing the Illinois Economy, 2009), and the creation of a permanent state food council (Illinois Local Food, Farms, and Jobs Council).  Debbie's food system activities have included county and regional food plans, founding member of The Talking Farm (an urban farm), founding partner of a high school working farm, farmers market support groups, and a statewide farm-to-school survey (with Northwestern University). 

In 2012, Debbie's national election survey (Food Vote 2012) identified major ignorance by candidates of food-and-farm issues and major ignorance among food-and-farm advocates of government processes. http://dhillmanstrategies.com/d-hillman-strategies/blog/page/7/
Her 2014 national election project -- Food, Farms, and Democracy -- hopes to empower constituents to make every Congressional candidate (U.S. House of Representatives) a food-and-farm candidate. http://dhillmanstrategies.com/d-hillman-strategies/blog/

EXPERIENCE REVIEWS

  • Default user photo
    Colleen B.
    Reviewed on 02/07/14

    Food Systems 101 was a wonderful introduction to the life-cycle of food in the US and all of the forces - good and bad - that influence this cycle. The teachers, Tim and Debbie, were knowledgeable and friendly. We were welcomed to the venue with a piping hot bowl of organic vegetarian chili, which was a great way to break the "ice" on such a cold and wintry night. The class took on an open lecture and discussion format which gave students the opportunity to participate and to offer their unique perspectives. The teachers answered every question thrown their way. At the end of the session, we were promised materials from the class (which were delivered) and we were given an autographed book penned by the teacher, Tim Magner, entitled, "An Environmental Guide from A-Z." I learned a lot, had a nice dinner, and brought home a new book for my library - what's not to love about that! I give Food Systems 101 an A+ and I am looking forward to the next installment!

    Food Systems 101 was a wonderful introduction to the life-cycle of food in the US and all of the forces - good and bad - that influence this cycle. The teachers, Tim and Debbie, were knowledgeable and friendly. We were welcomed to the venue with a piping hot bowl of organic vegetarian chili, which was a great way to break the "ice" on such a cold and wintry night. The class took on an open lecture and discussion format which gave students the opportunity to participate and to offer their unique perspectives. The teachers answered every question thrown their way. At the end of the session, we were promised materials from the class (which were delivered) and we were given an autographed book penned by the teacher, Tim Magner, entitled, "An Environmental Guide from A-Z." I learned a lot, had a nice dinner, and brought home a new book for my library - what's not to love about that! I give Food Systems 101 an A+ and I am looking forward to the next installment!

  • Default user photo
    Nathan B.
    Reviewed on 02/12/14

    Very interesting topic, although the scope was overwhelming for 2 hours.

    Very interesting topic, although the scope was overwhelming for 2 hours.

  • Show more

SIMILAR EXPERIENCES

BROWSE ALL EVENTS