While today
marks one of the Christian world’s highest holy days, Good Friday, today is
also somewhat curiously marked by two important food conferences: Just Food “Eat * Work * Grow the
Movement” and the “Healing Nature Forum: Planting the Seeds of Health and
Sustainability” from The Horticultural
Society of New York.
No Food
Confused about
what not to eat?
According to
the Catholic Bishops guidelines for public penance:
Adults between the ages of 18
and 59 are obliged to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. In addition those
14 years old and older must abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and
all the Fridays of Lent.
Fasting as explained by the
U.S. bishops means partaking of only one full meal. Some food (not equaling another
full meal) is permitted at breakfast and around midday or in the
evening—depending on when a person chooses to eat the main or full meal.
Abstinence forbids the use of
meat, but not of eggs, milk products or condiments made of animal fat.
Sounds, just
healthy!
Just Foods
Speaking of
reasonable and just, today kicks off the two day Just Food Conference’s Eat *
Work * Grow the Movement.
Just Food convenes
over 2,000 local food lovers and advocates, CSA members, community gardeners,
urban and rural farmers, food professionals and entrepreneurs to participate in
two days of hands-on workshops, discussions, skills-building sessions, and good
food.
Just Food
Conference 2013: Eat • Work • Grow the Movement will be held at the Food and
Finance High School in Hell’s Kitchen and will provide attendees with
opportunities to learn about national farm and food issues, CSA trends, cooking
and food preservation techniques, along with ways to mobilize communities to
increase access to farm-fresh, locally grown food.
This year’s
conference will include:
* Over
100 workshops on wide-ranging topics including food education, food policy,
community organizing, and entrepreneurship
* The
Food Talks, a series of
presentations by food movement leaders that will entertain, educate and empower
attendees. Tamar Adler, Jane Hodge, Zaid Kurdieh, Bob Lewis, and Karen
Washington are confirmed to speak. (Friday)
Just Food Conference Highlights
*
The Keynote address is by celebrated
activist and filmmaker Byron Hurt. Best known for his acclaimed film Hip Hop:
Beyond Beats and Rhymes, Hurt’s latest work is Soul Food Junkies, named 2012
Best Documentary by the American Black Film Festival. (Saturday)
* Policy Matters: Food, Farms and
Your Government panel, in which policymakers and practitioners share their successes and
challenges. Confirmed speakers are Sabrina Baronberg, NYC Department of Health
and Mental Hygiene, Bob Lewis, NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets, Edie
Stone, GreenThumb, and Alissa Weiss, Senior Policy
 |
| I love and respect KarenWashington - a true force of nature |
*
Analyst for City Council Speaker Christine Quinn’s Office/FoodWorks. (Friday)
* Breaking Ground: Advice From
Beginning Farmers panel, in which four farmers will share how they got started and lessons learned
along the way. Farmers Rafael Aponte, Cara Fraver, Gudelio Garcia, and Ben
Shute are confirmed to speak. (Saturday)
*
The Good Food Jobs Get Together, a
unique networking and skill-building event co- sponsored by Just Food and Good
Food Jobs. (Friday)
* EXPO featuring exemplary food
artisans, organizations, and sustainable businesses (Saturday)
When: Friday,
March 29 (8:00am – 7:30pm), and Saturday, March 30 (8am – 6:30pm) Where: Food
& Finance High School, 525 West 50th Street, New York, NY 10019 (between
10th and 11th Avenues)
Cost: Tickets
are $45 per day. Tickets for the Good Food Jobs Get Together are sold
separately. For conference attendees, the ticket price is $5 each and for
non-conference attendees, the ticket price is $20 each.
Registration
and Ticket Info: http://www.jfconf2013.eventbrite.com
General conference info: Jessica Gaffney at 212-645-9880 x232 or Jessica.Gaffney@justfood.org; http://www.justfood.org/events/jfcon2013/overview
Sponsored by:
Great Performances, Whole Foods Market, Edible Brooklyn and Edible Manhattan,
Good Food Jobs, Heritage Radio Network.
About Just Food
Just Food is a
non-profit organization that connects communities and local farms with the
resources and support they need to make fresh, locally grown food accessible to
all New Yorkers. Just Food provides regional farmers and food producers, CSA
organizers and everyday eaters with the resources and support they need to
establish and experience healthy food systems—in every neighborhood.
About Good Food Jobs
Good Food Jobs
is a gastro-job search tool, designed to link people looking for meaningful
food work with the businesses that need their energy, enthusiasm, and
intellect. Good Food Jobs posts opportunities with farmers and food artisans,
policy makers and purveyors, retailers and restaurateurs, economists,
ecologists, and more. On their blog, the gastrognomes, they profile the most
interesting and unlikely food professionals that they find, and publish their
stories to inspire you.
Good Food Jobs
was created by friends, partners and ice cream lovers, Taylor Cocalis and
Dorothy Neagle.
For more
information about Good Food Jobs, visit www.goodfoodjobs.com
Healing Nature Forum: Planting the Seeds of
Health and Sustainability
|
9:00 – 9:45
|
|
Meet & Greet Breakfast
|
|
10:00 – 11:00
|
|
Introductions & Keynote Speaker
Introductions:
George
Pisegna, Director of Horticulture and Public Programs, The
Horticultural Society of New York
Gwenn Fried, Manager Horticultural
Therapy Services, NYULMC, Rusk Rehab
Keynote Speaker: Keith G.
Tidball, Ph.D., Senior Extension Associate, Department of
Natural Resources, Cornell University.
|
|
11:00 – 12:30
|
|
Panel Discussion: Starting Horticultural
Programs
in Human Service Organizations
Participants:
Kate George,
Horticultural Therapist, NYULMC at Lenox Hill
Lori Bloomberg, Horticultural Therapy
Intern NYULMC at Holy Cross
Maureen
Regan, IG Garden and Food Pantry Coordinator, Queens
Botanical Garden, Horticultural Therapist and Food Advocate, Green
Earth Urban Gardens Inc.
|
|
12:30 – 1:00
|
|
Lunch
|
|
1:15 - 2:45
|
|
Panel Discussion: Funding Horticultural
Programs
in Human Services Organizations
Moderator:
Laura
Hansen, Director of City Life Program, J.M. Kaplan Fund
Participants:
Carole
Gordon, LCSW Director of Housing Development, The Bridge
Sara Hobel,
Executive Director, The Horticultural Society of New York
Matt
Wichrowski, Senior Horticultural Therapist, NYULMC
|
|
2:45 – 3:00
|
|
Closing Remarks
|
According to The Horticultural Society of New York (HSNY), “The connection to nature is essential to human
health and well-being. Interacting with nature promotes physical,
psychological, and community benefits. This year’s forum will focus on
information that integrates programming, policy-making and fundraising with
non-profits, social services, healthcare industry, and community groups.
Therapeutic horticulture can improve the body, mind and spirit through passive
or active involvement. Join us as we discuss the importance of horticulture as
therapy.”
The HSNY Healing
Nature Forum takes place at:
Farkus Auditorium at
NYU Langone Medical Center
550 1st Avenue
New York, NY
Admission: $25
Online registration has closed, but you can register in person the day of
the Healing Nature Forum.
Take a Spring Break and attend one or more of the weekend’s
food forums. There is a wealth of talent
on display.
It is indeed a Good Friday.
