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South Siskiyou Food Conversation

Welcome to the South Siskiyou County Community Food Conversation!

South Siskiyou County community members look over a list of local food resources.
South Siskiyou County community members look over a list of local food resources.

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)

Dunsmuir

McCloud

Mt. Shasta

Weed

 

groupphoto1
Community members consider the lists of challenges, opportunities and projects as they vote on their top priorities.

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)

 

Challenges
South Siskiyou County generated several challenges and unmet needs. The colored dots indicate how people voted on priority in comparison to other items on all three lists.

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

 

GroupActivity_web
A group of residents consider and discuss challenges and opportunities.

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

 

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310 Boles Street, Weed, CA 96094
(530) 938-4115
Office hours: Monday–Thursday, 9 AM – 4 PM

 

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