Loose Leaf Notes

~ The following was published in The Floyd Press on September 10, 2009 and HERE.
Black bean paté, pork ribs from Bright Farm, bread from Sweetwater Bakery, a casserole, fresh peaches, and apple pie were some of the dishes enjoyed at the Time for Lunch potluck, held on Labor Day at the Floyd Country Store. The event was initiated by Slow Food USA to promote locally grown and produced food in public schools and was organized by Slow Food USA member Yvonne Hodgkins.
After a group of about twenty-five shared freshly prepared local food and neighborly conversation, Hodgkins addressed the crowd, outlining the campaign’s five platform points. “The nutritional quality of food in school will promote or not promote the health of our children,” she said, citing that one of the platform points is to urge Congress to invest in our children’s health by updating the Child Nutrition Act and increasing the federal reimbursement for the School Lunch Program.

The platform calls for providing financial incentives for schools to buy local food as a way to improve food choices. Another component is establishing stronger standards for food sold in schools. “When most of us were in school we never saw vending machines,” Hodgkins said. She reported that there were 307 potlucks around the country in all fifty states happening simultaneously this Labor Day, including ones in Blacksburg and Roanoke.
Villa Appalaccia Winery owner Susanne Becker, who heads up Floyd’s Slow Food USA group, spoke about the Slow Food mission of “preserving old traditions and cultures of eating.” Slow Food promotes public awareness of local food, advocates for plant diversity, and works to make local food more accessible. “We need farmers. We’re here to promote you,” Becker said.

In 2004 the Farm to School Program was approved by Congress but never funded. Mike Burton of Moon Indigo Farm spoke about giving the program a jump start and putting its principles into action with the introduction of a local pilot program this fall. “We’re going to have one day when local farms are going to provide apples, potatoes, and cabbages to all the schools.” Burton explained. He went on to report that elementary students will help to harvest the vegetables at his farm and at Five Penny Farm. Burton said the project has the support of the county school nutritionist and the school board superintendent. “It crosses all lines. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t want their children to eat well,” he concluded.
Floyd Country Store owner Woody Crenshaw spoke about the construction progress of the new farmer’s market, which will be located next to The Station on South Locust Street. He reported that the project has transformed from a farmer’s market into a timber frame community market pavilion with 3,000 feet under roof. “It’s somewhat idealistic and somewhat building for the future,” he said. During the week the pavilion will provide covered parking. On weekends it will be available for public events. Crenshaw noted that the green certified timber to be used has been donated by Turman Lumber. The plan is for the Floyd Community Market to be open for the October 24th Eco-Fair, hosted by SustainFloyd (sustainfloyd.org) in conjunction with the International Day of Climate Action.
Karen Day and McCabe Coolidge updated the crowd on their community food programs under the umbrella of Plenty, a neighbor-to-neighbor growing and sharing food venture. Day reported that Plenty’s “Kids Wonder Garden” at the Floyd Elementary School is in full swing. “Kids are checking out the broccoli and talking about saving seeds,” she said.
Following Day’s description of canning sixty-two cans of donated beans at the local cannery, Coolidge explained that Plenty drivers will soon be outfitted in “Buy Local/Portable Produce” T-shirts donated by Green Label Organic. Proceeds from The CD Project of Scott Perry’s music students bought chickens from Weathertop Farm for fifty-five families on Plenty’s Portable Produce route, Coolidge said.
Hodgkins encouraged potluck goers and others to contact their representatives – sign petitions, call, and write – advocating for healthy food programs in schools. She read an excerpt from a letter written by Representative Rick Boucher in support of the Time for Lunch campaign. “I entirely share your view that our region is a focal point for local foods in many ways … I assure you that I fully support the policy agenda to place locally raised and healthy foods in the schools. I will be happy to cosponsor bills or cosign letters that are designed to support these efforts …” Boucher wrote. ~ Colleen Redman