Under the partial cover of Center City Park’s wooden pavilion, youth performers steered colossal pole puppets — faceless gray suits symbolizing big oil, giant fists in shades of brown labeled “People power” and “El poder de la gente,” and vibrant flags representing wind, air and sun — but not before a proper introduction.
About 100 high school youth from community and out-of-school organizations gathered along with their adult allies in Greensboro, North Carolina, this past weekend for a conference on food systems and inequality. The local group hosting the conference was the Food Youth Initiative, a project of the Center for Environmental Farming Systems.
Since he opened Pizzeria Mercato 15 months ago, Gabe Barker has had little time to do anything but create pizzas and Italian-influenced sides that make best use of locally grown ingredients.
If not for a drought, one of the Triangle’s best-known events to celebrate sustainable farming might not have launched the Farm to Fork Picnic Weekend, which will celebrate its 10th anniversary June 2-4 with events in Raleigh and Fearrington Village.
Thanks in part to the Center for Environmental Farming Systems, it’s getting easier for North Carolinians to find fresh food from local farmers in grocery stores, restaurants, schools and farmers markets.
Supporters of this year's 10th anniversary Farm to Fork Picnic will get one sweet deal when they sample Triangle-made sips and snacks derived from local honey, fruit and spices.
Over 92 percent of N.C. residents do not eat the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Whether that’s due to access or awareness of healthy foods, many organizations are working together to solve this problem. From the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina to the Center for Environmental Farming Systems, organizations are focused on building healthier lifestyles across the state.
Cheetie Kumar is truly going the distance this year to demonstrate her commitment to Farm to Fork's decade-long mission of promoting the relationships between sustainable farmers, chefs and culinary artisans.
This June, more than 70 farms and restaurants will come together for the 10th annual Farm to Fork Picnic to celebrate the partnerships that have helped make the Triangle a food destination.
At NC State, horticultural science graduate student Lisa Johnson is shedding light on farm-level food losses and taking the first steps toward reducing them.
