Community Food Webs Learning Circles - Land Stewardship Project

3 Sessions in March 2023

Building strong community food networks where we live can move us powerfully toward our vision for functioning local and regional systems that support regenerative farming and provide all people with the nourishing foods they want and need. To explore how communities around the country are making this happen, in March 2023 the Land Stewardship Project is hosting three learning circles focused on the book Building Community Food Webs, by Ken Meter.

Join us for just one session, or all three! Each session we’ll gather on Zoom for two hours — beginning at 7 p.m. — to discuss major themes from the book and generate ideas for our own communities. Please register individually for each session you wish to attend by clicking on the titles below. Questions about getting signed up? Reach out to LSP’s Elizabeth Makarewicz via e-mail.

Details on the 3 Learning Circles

Session 1 — March 15: Building Market Power for Farmers

Assignment:
Read Chapter 2 (Montana) and Chapter 5 (northeastern Indiana)

Additional themes:
• Building strong state and regional networks.
• Bringing farmers into the work of the EDA community
• Economic development and food business clusters
• Low-income residents
• Welcoming immigrants
• Building wealth in rural areas
• Collaboration across local units of governments to support regional efforts (counties)

Session 2 — March 22: Building Equity and Investing in Traditional, Indigenous Culture and Practices for Food Production, Health, and Spirituality

Assignment:
Read Chapter 3 (Hawaii) and Chapter 4 (Tuscon, Arizona)

Additional Themes:
• Building the capacity and voice of low-income residents
• Institutional markets
• Youth engagement
• Health
• Urban food production
• Working with schools
• Advocacy and empowerment into local governance

Session 3 — March 29: Changing How We Think About Food System Economics

Assignment:
Read Conclusion Chapter (pages 249-262)
This session will feature a discussion with Ken Meter

Additional Themes:
• Action Networks
• Systems levers
• Business Clusters
• Policy

Upcoming Events

March 2023

Friday March 24

12:00 pm – 1:30 pm: Family Farm Breakfast Lobby Training
Friday March 24
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
Family Farm Breakfast Lobby Training
Join LSP to prepare for the 2023 Family Farm Breakfast Lobby Day on April 13! The training will be an opportunity to prepare how we will influence our elected officials to win real change on key LSP issues like soil health and climate solutions, healthcare reform, taking on corporate consolidation in agriculture, and more. This training will include: background on your legislators; templates for a legislative meeting; workshopping how to share our stories in a powerful, concise way; logistics; and more!

For more information and to register, click here.

Saturday March 25

2:00 pm – 4:00 pm: Rural Healthcare Roundtable & Public Forum in Marshall, MN
Saturday March 25
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Rural Healthcare Roundtable & Public Forum in Marshall, MN
Minnesota State Senator Erin Murphy will lead a public discussion on what’s needed for quality and affordable rural healthcare.

Monday March 27

6:00 pm – 7:00 pm: MinnesotaCare Public Option: Virtual Information Session
Monday March 27
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
MinnesotaCare Public Option: Virtual Information Session
Every Minnesotan deserves quality, affordable healthcare. But right now, too many Minnesotans have no choice but to purchase health insurance that is too expensive to use, are excluded from health coverage because of their immigration status, or are unable to leave their job or start a business because of the high cost of health insurance.

The MinnesotaCare Public Option (HF96/SF49) proposed this legislative session would allow more Minnesotans the option of buying into MinnesotaCare, paying a premium based on their income.

Join Minnesotans across the state for a virtual information session to learn more about the MinnesotaCare Public Option being considered at the state Capitol, and what YOU can do to help pass it this year.

The virtual webinar will be held on Zoom. Registration is required here.

The co-hosts of this meeting are: TakeAction Minnesota, Rural Organizing Project, the Land Stewardship Project, and more. For more information, click here.

Wednesday March 29

7:00 pm – 9:00 pm: Community Foods Webs Learning Circle: Changing How We Think About Food System Economics
Wednesday March 29
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Community Foods Webs Learning Circle: Changing How We Think About Food System Economics

Building strong community food networks where we live can move us powerfully toward our vision for functioning local and regional systems that support regenerative farming and provide all people with the nourishing foods they want and need. To explore how communities around the country are making this happen, in March LSP is hosting three learning circles focused on the book Building Community Food Webs, by Ken Meter.

Join us for just one session, or all three! Each session we’ll gather on Zoom for two hours — beginning at 7 p.m. — to discuss major themes from the book and generate ideas for our own communities.

Reserve your spot by signing up on our website:https://landstewardshipproject.org/learning-circles. Questions about getting signed up? Reach out to LSP’s Elizabeth Makarewicz at EMakarewicz@landstewardshipproject.org.

April 2023

Tuesday April 4

9:00 am – 12:30 pm: Wholesale Readiness Training for Farmers
Tuesday April 4
9:00 am – 12:30 pm
Wholesale Readiness Training for Farmers

MISA, UMN Extension and Renewing the Countryside are offering training and one-to-one technical assistance for farmers who want to grow their operation into wholesale markets. Wholesale isn’t just for large-scale distributors. You can use this training and support team to prepare to sell to schools, restaurants, grocery stores and hospitals in your community. Participating farmers will be eligible for $500 mini-grants to cover expenses related to launching a wholesale enterprise.

For details, click here.

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