Welcome to the South Siskiyou County Community Food Conversation!
The conversation began with the meeting held May 13, 2013 at the Mt. Shasta City Park Main Lodge. Twenty-five south county residents came together to talk about food resources, opportunities and challenges, and access in their communities. That discussion and sharing led to the creation of three action groups that started talking about projects and interests that those in the room had selected as critical. The goal of this meeting was to get community members connected and thinking about projects in their towns and even larger areas of the county.
Here you can review the food resources identified at the meeting, the opportunities and challenges discussed and the work done by action groups at the meeting. If you are interested in joining a community-driven action group or would like to add to the list of , please contact Renee Casterline at GNS and she will put you in touch with group leaders.
Community Food Assets by Town
(click each town for its resources)
South County Opportunities
(asterisks indicate number of votes received during the meeting in prioritizing opportunities and challenges)
Community supported food projects
Sioux City Sioux film?
** Growing year-round
Youth excitement around food
* Farm to school in each school and community wide – affordable
Greenhouses for public use with aquaponics
Shift funding to stay local
** Structural assistance for growing season
Farm unused land
Increase in food production leading to more availability
Heirloom seed bank
Soup kitchen – open regularly and more often
Community Certified Kitchen for processing/storage and preparation
* Gleaning fruit and relating events to gleaning
Education/nutrition
Teaching kids hands on to grow food
* Consistent/sustainable food supply during changing economic conditions
Farmer’s Market on weekends includes artisans, producers, certified – “local” within 150 miles
* Increase community network
Increase direct consumer purchasing
Farmer’s Market network/cooperation
Green job creation
What can we export?
Farmers Market takes EBT
Model integrated community (replicable for export)
Food entrepreneurship – biz and legal information
** Worker owned co-ops
* Stable supply of good food for those in need
Map unused food resources
Care for food resources (adopt a fruit tree)
South County Challenges
(asterisks indicate number of votes received during the meeting in prioritizing opportunities and challenges)
Transportation and centralized distribution
Mobilizing community support
Thinking “we” make “I” stronger
Support and engagement from elected officials
Lack of knowledge of traditional ways
Legal obstacles and awareness of them
* Misuse of federal subsidies
Lack of knowledge/education re: commercial food
Parts of population don’t know how to prepare food
** Knowledge about local food – economic, nutrition environmental, community
Cost of power
* Relearning old ways and food seasons
Cost and access of local vs. industrial food
Perception of high cost of local food
Effects of easy access to conventional food
* Fear of locally made or processed food
At this Community Food Conversation, we asked the question: What do you want to do?
Below are those responses
(asterisks indicate number of votes received during the meeting in prioritizing opportunities and challenges)
** Fruit tree registry – gleaning
**** Working educational farm
** Curriculum in schools re: food
** Relearn old skills
**** Produce films/showing educational films
*** Start locally sourced ice cream business
Local dairy
* Make tools-commerce platform to connect local growers and restaurants
******* Make a local community kitchen happen including use for cottage industry
Local seed supply
**** Teach nutrition classes
Teach fermentation/cultures
*** Increase capacity for local food banks to take donations
Put agricultural land in trust
* Soup kitchen
* Farms to school
Farms to table
***** Dialogue with law re: legal policies – Dissolving legal obstacles
Parking lot items:
Boot strapping
Practical
*** Low cost activity first
Crop rotation for soil health
South County action groups:
Group 1: Community Kitchen facility
Step One: Identify the primary goal and three activities to support the achievement of this goal over the next few months.
Establish a location in Mt. Shasta and interest
South county communities
Build a business plan
Identify existing and potential locations
Fundraising – grants, memberships, food revenues
Step Two: Who are your partners?
Brainstorm the potential partners for your activities. Consider Non-profit and public interest organizations, Community-based organizations, Neighborhood associations, Faith-based organizations, Ethnic and cultural associations, Schools, youth groups and parent groups, Colleges and universities, Government agencies, Elected officials and their staff, Businesses, Other
Don JEDI COS Grub Club Shasta Commons Hunter Orchard
Great Northern Services Siskiyou Land Trust All Schools All churches McCloud Healthcare Center
Ford Foundation McConnell Shasta Regional Foundation
Step Three: What is your next most doable step towards your goal?
Create a Business Plan – Mission and Vision Statements
Research worker owned cooperative business model
Group 2: Showing educational films
Step One: Identify the primary goal and three activities to support the achievement of this goal over the next few months.
Offer education re: food, growing, preparation, nutrition
Set up film series – find venue, identify films (e.g. Sioux City Sue)
Offer hands on gardening classes
Offer nutrition and healthy food choices classes
Step Two: Who are your partners?
Brainstorm the potential partners for your activities. Consider Non-profit and public interest organizations, Community-based organizations, Neighborhood associations, Faith-based organizations, Ethnic and cultural associations, Schools, youth groups and parent groups, Colleges and universities, Government agencies, Elected officials and their staff, Businesses, Other
Weed City Hall/Mayor Bob Hall College of the Siskiyous Mt. Shasta Library (venue)
Invite County Supervisors to participate
Step Three: What is your next most doable step towards your goal?
Meet again to review contracts made
Use e-mail to report progress before meeting
Group 3: Legal/Policy Issues
Step One: Identify the primary goal and three activities to support the achievement of this goal over the next few months.
Find a unifying issue (i.e. raw milk, food processing etc.
Community Education –
Awareness of issue and limitations and cost to be legal
Support food policy group
Share alternative models
Step Two: Who are your partners?
Brainstorm the potential partners for your activities. Consider Non-profit and public interest organizations, Community-based organizations, Neighborhood associations, Faith-based organizations, Ethnic and cultural associations, Schools, youth groups and parent groups, Colleges and universities, Government agencies, Elected officials and their staff, Businesses, Other
Food Policy Group (name?) Local churches (7th Day Adventist) law enforcement
Mt. Shasta Commons Tea Party Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund
Step Three: What is your next most doable step towards your goal?
Community Education