From Seed to Table

04/19/22 • 54 min

In urban and rural communities, a variety of local food initiatives emerged in response to the absence of a just, responsive, and sustainable food economy. In this episode, Nourish by MN350 introduces one of the gems in that collection. Urban Roots is a community-based youth leadership initiative located on St. Paul’s Eastside. In this conversation, Urban Roots’ staff members Saba Andualem and Skyler Hawkins join Marita Bujold, founder of Just Food and Water, to share memorable stories from the gardens, kitchens, and markets where Urban Roots creates a vital role for youth to play in their community.

Since 1997,Urban Roots has provided year-round paid internships for youth ages 14-24 to participate in their Market Garden, Cook Fresh, and Conservation Programs.

Together, these programs offer a learning environment in every season designed to nurture leadership, entrepreneurial and life skills. Working in partnership with the diverse community, Urban Roots is nurturing tomorrow’s leaders for the just, responsive, and sustainable food economy we need to create together.

References:

UrbanRootsMN.org
CLUES -Comunidades Latinas Unidas en Servicio (Communities United in Service)
Headwaters Community Food & Water Bill (HF1332/SF1580)
Lachelle Cunningham
twitter.com/urbanrootsmn
instagram.com/urbanrootsmn

Since 1997,Urban Roots has provided year-round paid internships for youth ages 14-24 to participate in their Market Garden, Cook Fresh, and Conservation Programs.

References:

Previous Episode

Nurturing Community and Healing the Land

In this episode of Nourish by MN350 , architect of the Headwaters Community Food and Water Bill (HF1332/SF1580), Marita Bujold interviews community and food justice organizer, Zoe Holloman to learn about the leadership role that the Midwest Farmers of Color Collective (MFCC) is playing to shape the just, responsive, and sustainable food and farming system we need as a foundation for resilient regional economies.

The Midwest Farmers of Color Collective emerged in early 2020 from conversations beginning in 2018 when a group of BIPOC famers gathered to discern their needs and the role they could play together. During their brief existence, Zoe and her colleagues at MFCC have organized many social, economic, and political opportunities for BIPOC farmers to meet the challenges of the time.

In this conversation it becomes clear that the Collective’s work of nurturing community and healing the land is grounded in the understanding that our path forward must be defined by racial, economic, and environmental justice. Listeners will find themselves accepting Zoe’s gracious invitation to share the work to make that future possible.

Find the full transcript here.

Next Episode

Classrooms, Community, and Cafeterias

In this episode of Nourish by MN350 , Sarah Riedl, Lisa Chou, and Aaron Dreyling explore the intersections of plant-rich diets and public schools. Hear from Kate Seybold, Regional Marketing Specialist with the MN Dept of Ag (and former Minneapolis Public Schools Farm to School Coordinator), and Jodi Gruhn, Wholesome Minnesota Coordinator with Compassionate Action for Animals, as they balance the struggles schools have faced through the pandemic alongside the solutions that sourcing locally and focusing on plant-rich menu items offer for a better future for our children.

See these resources to learn more:

Nourish by MN350 - From Seed to Table

Transcript

Ep 22. From Seed to Table

Tue, 4/19 8:00AM • 55:12

Skyler Hawkins 00:00

So, we're learning about how does a greenhouse fit into season extension? And why does season extension matter so much in a climate like Minnesota, where we have such a short growing season? So, kind of creating a sense of place and a sense of where are we trying to do the same? Like, where are we trying to make the food grow and how do we have to do it differently to make that work