Slow Food USA and Our Greens, Our Stories

On April 06 I attended an on-line panel presentation sponsored by Slow Food USA. The presentation was Our Greens, Our stories: the 2023 Plant and Seed Campaign. This is the 2nd presentation by Slow Food USA that I have attended. Last fall I attended a presentation on Indigenous foods, food systems, and cooking. That was when I discovered just how cool Slow Food is as an international organization and as a national organization.
 
So, before I talk about the, Our Greens, Our Stories presentation let me review a little Slow Food history. About 30 years ago a fast-food chain restaurant was opening near the Spanish Steps in Rome. A group of Italians gathered to protest this development. The location was culturally and historically significant and a fast-food restaurant seemed inappropriate for the setting. Besides that, Italians take pride in their foods. Each valley has different vegetables, meats, pasta, breads, and wines based on what is raised in that location. Food history is important. So, they protested, not with stones and threats of violence. They gathered with a large bowl of pasta and shared it with the people on the streets, and they shared their concerns. They did not know it at the time but that was the beginning of one of the premier food movements on the planet, Slow Food. 

Today Slow Food has chapters in 160 nations. There are 100 chapters in the United States. Slow Food USA was founded in 2000. Slow Foods advocates and educates. They have multiple foci: indigenous foods, food sources and distribution, international foods that highlight the need for food to be part of the ecology, and slow meats that highlight respect for the animals, the farmers, and the land. The result is a growing respect for Slow Food Intenational. In 2003 they founded the Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity. In 2012, in Rio, they addressed the Global Food Security and Nutrition Dialogue of the United Nations.  

Slow Food USA has three guiding goals, good tasting quality food, clean production, and fair accessibility. As evident by their latest presentation, they collaborate with like-minded producers, cooks, distributors, school systems, and communities. Their projects are international and national/regional. The Ark of Taste is an example. This is an attempt to preserve foods and food sources that are facing extinction. This is a successful project. 3,500 food products from 150 countries have been added to the International Ark of Taste. Of those 200 are from the USA. This is an important project for several reasons. Indigenous plants and animals nurture the environment and increase biodiversity. Food from indigenous plants and animals are healthy. They may serve as one of the solutions to eliminating food deserts and the health problems associated with processed foods.  

The presentation was hosted by Mara Welton. Ms. Welton is the director of programs for Slow Food USA. Mara has over 30 years of experience as a farmer, a chef, and a community organizer. She served in the Peace Corps. She has worked with seniors, community boards, and culturally diverse communities.  

Adrian Lipscombe was a chef and owner of the Uptowne Café and Bakery in La Crosse Wisconsin. I found her particularly interesting because as a Norwegian-American and Midwesterner when I think of Wisconsin I think fish boils, lefse, lingonberry. Hers was a welcomed new perspective for me. The café is a center for urban change and citizen empowerment. She works with farmers from the Coulee Regional and Organic Vally area, and she works with local ingredients.  

Adrian believes the story of the plant is important. It is the story of the plant in terms of DNA, environmental fit, and land or origin. It is also the story of transportation, of peoples and cultures. It is the story of the family table, preparation, nutrition, survival, and celebrations. To this end Ms. Lipscombe is working on the 40 Acres Project. This is a project to preserve the history of Black farmers, traditional agriculture and foodways. She holds a master's in architecture and is a PhD candidate in urban and regional planning.  

Bonnetta Adeeb is the founder and president of STEM ONWARD. She lives in Maryland. The mission of STEAM ONWARD is to increase the number of minority youth seeking higher education in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. The methodology includes utilizing on-hands experiences after school to instill a sense of wonder, pride, and discipline. This includes projects in agriculture, in nature, and working with the environment. 

STEM ONWARD has spin-offs. These include Ujama Cooperative Farming Alliance (UCFA) and Ujama Seeds. This is a collective of new and experienced farmers dedicated to preserving heirloom seeds. These are plants that are culturally relevant and are sources for food, medicines and traditional healing, and textiles. MS. Adeeb has also worked with Cooperative Gardens Commision. They have supported 12,000 gardens and assisted in the distribution of heirloom seeds nationally. The CGC has 257 seed hubs in 41 states. They are supporting initiative aimed at land sovereignty and rematriation of seeds to indigenous communities as well as for communities of color.  

Finally, especially for this presentation, Collards have a special place in Bonnetta’s heart and together with Adrian they told the story of this important green. 

Melissa Desa is a transplanted Canadian living in Florida. She has a master's degree in interdisciplinary Ecology. She is a wildlife biologist. She has worked at Seed Savers Exchange! She is the founder of Forage. Currently she is the SeedEO for Working Food. Working Food collaborates with community organizations, diverse communities, and local government. The goal is to support food-based businesses and the food system. This includes gardening, seed collection and preservation, food preparation and nutrition and issues related to equity and social justice.  

This group addressed the history of the greens but also the whys. Why care about forgotten seeds and plants? Why correct stories that are inaccurate? They also addressed the how's. How do you collect the seeds? How do you plant and care for them? Melissa talked about engaging the participants. She talked about connecting participants to the journey, seed collection, planting, growing, and eating. Bonnetta reinforced this as she talked about the journey of the plant from Africa, the Mediterranean, South America, to the United States. She talked about the journey and transformation of the stories. Adrian integrated all of this when talking about collards. She talked about their world journey. She talked about methodology in the context of “reading the greens”. Mara wrapped it all up as she addressed the human connection to the plants.  

This was the second presentation on the 2023 Plant and Seed Exchange program. If you are interested in greens, beans, or other selected plants of the Ark of Taste consider purchasing one of their kits. I look forward to the next presentation. This is quality programming with recognized experts. This is an easy way to become a little greener everyday.