“It’s a good forum for everyone to showcase their programs with food,” she said.
Food producers, farmers, ranchers and community leaders from across Arizona gathered at Yavapai College in Prescott for the Good Food Forum on Tuesday, Aug. 25, discussing topics such as sustainable ranching, Arizona wine, local sourcing, gardening and food distribution.
Hosted by Local First Arizona and The Eatery at Yavapai College, the forum was designed to strengthen connections among people working throughout Arizona’s food systems while giving participants a chance to learn from successful programs around the state.
Rebecca Serratos, sustainability project manager at The Eatery, said the partnership with Local First Arizona was intended to deepen those connections. “It’s a good forum for everyone to showcase their programs with food,” she said.
Tristan Kitch, resilient food director for Local First Arizona, helped coordinate the event. “This gives small-scale providers and farmers a chance to share their programs while learning about other programs.”
Participants also discussed one of the realities of farming in a state with dramatically different climates and growing seasons. Produce available in one region may be out of season in another, creating opportunities for growers and distributors to work together to move Arizona-grown food around the state.
Kaolin Randall with Prescott Farmers Market praised the forum for bringing many aspects of Arizona’s food industry together. “There was something for everybody and it was a great way for people to connect.”
One session highlighted food programs on the San Carlos Apache Reservation, where community leaders are expanding gardening, education and access to locally grown foods. Economic Development Specialist Kodee Goseyan said the tribe has created a subcommittee on food sovereignty as part of its effort to strengthen its local food system.
“We want to make sure that our people have access to food, especially for our elders and children,” she said, noting the importance of local food production and sharing knowledge about growing food. “We have started, but it’s an ongoing process. That’s why we are here today to listen and to collaborate.”
Eric Shinn, director of the nonprofit NEC on San Carlos, described efforts to encourage gardening and teach residents how to grow their own produce. “We prioritized teaching gardening,” he said, adding that the results sometimes exceeded expectations – like when the watermelons grew so large that people had trouble carrying them. “It wasn’t just the amount of food; it was quality food,” he said.
Gardening classes have continued to grow in popularity and organizers have been looking at ways to strengthen the entire system, from planting and harvesting to getting fresh food where it needs to go.
The San Carlos program also has developed a calendar showing which foods to plant during different times of the year, along with a database and books about culturally relevant foods.
Botanist Seth Pilsk, who has worked with San Carlos elders for 35 years, said traditional knowledge provides important lessons about the relationships among food, plants, animals and the environment. San Carlos elder Twyla Cassadore agreed. “I love teaching about traditional culture,” she said.
Representatives of the San Xavier Cooperative Farm on the Tohono O’odham Nation also attended the forum. They shared their experience while gathering ideas to take home. Facilities Operations Manager Deron Lopez and Catering Assistant Page Antone discussed the cooperative farm, which encompasses about 10,000 acres with 89 fields and has operated for about 80 years.
The farm grows crops including alfalfa and Sudan grass for livestock and employs about 60 people. “We are here to learn everything we can and take it back to our team,” Lopez said.
That spirit of sharing captured the larger purpose of the Good Food Forum: bringing together people from different regions and different parts of the food industry to exchange ideas, build relationships and find new ways to strengthen Arizona’s food network. FBN
By Stan Bindell, FBN
Photo by Stan Bindell: Kodee Goseyan and Twyla Cassadore discussed the importance of passing traditional knowledge about food and growing practices from one generation to the next. “I love teaching about traditional culture,” said Cassadore.
Dining and Cooking