healthy food - Freedom from Want - SIBEJO

As we celebrate Independence Day, it seems a good time to remember Franklin D. Roosevelt's "Four Freedoms:"

1.     Freedom of speech

2.     Freedom of worship

3.     Freedom from want

4.     Freedom from fear

The speech inspired Norman Rockwell's famous "Four Freedoms" paintings.  In my years working at Foodshare in Connecticut, we gave a print of this "Freedom from Want" painting to employees on their fifth anniversary.  I still have this iconic image hanging in my dining room.

Freedom from want has certainly been the major focus of my adult life, with more than thirty years at Foodshare and the last eighteen months at GardenShare.  While I believe we have made progress, it saddens me to know how many people in our great nation are still struggling with basic needs like putting food on the table for their children.  Here in St. Lawrence County, some of our local farmers are even among those struggling - they have food, but are barely scraping by otherwise.

GardenShare is working hard to connect the dots ... hunger, farming, the local economy, and the food system.  After thirty years in the world of charity food, I'm more convinced than ever that giving away food to people in need is never a solution.  It's a band-aid and we may need band-aids to help someone for the short-term, but we also need long-term solutions.

As you reflect on our freedoms this holiday, I hope you will also think about and remember that we still have some work to do!  And join us in that work at GardenShare!

Gloria

healthy food - EARLY CHILDHOOD HUNGER MAY LEAD TO VIOLENCE LATER - SIBEJO

Children who often go hungry have a greater risk of developing impulse control problems and engaging in violence, according to new University of Texas-Dallas research. The study found that people who experienced frequent hunger as kids were more than twice as likely to exhibit impulsivity and injure others intentionally as adolescents and adults. Thirty-seven percent of the study's participants who had frequent hunger as children reported that they had been involved in interpersonal violence. Of those who experienced little to no childhood hunger, 15% said they were involved in interpersonal violence. The findings were strongest among whites, Hispanics and males.

Source: MedicalXpress, 6/20/16, Hunger & Violence

healthy food - Farmer Friday - Sweetcore Farm - SIBEJO

It's Farmer Friday again and this time, intern Amanda profiled Dave Rice of Sweetcore Farm.  Dave has a long association with Garden Share, having served three years on the Board of Directors, and still serving on our Fund Development Committee.

As a young adult, I am told the world is at my feet. My career options are endless; I need only to pick a direction of and interest and pursue the path. At times the possibilities are overwhelming, but I find comfort in the garden.  One garden I particularly found solace was on a visit to David and Kathy Rice who live what I aspire to one day do. Stories like David�s, however, are what reassures me when I wonder how I will achieve the same end result.

Dave and Kathy working in the field

David Rice grew up on an eight-acre orchard in New Hampshire with a family vegetable garden and pigs. David�s first job was at Friendly�s, although he helped press cider, work retail, and pack as well as deliver orders on the farm. Because there wasn�t much to learn, David distinguished himself by attending New Hampshire University to major in horticulture with a focus on fruit science. In 1989, David began work-study where he met Kathy. When Dave decided there wasn�t room for expanding, he moved with Kathy to work on a 100-acre farm. Dave was the supervisor to the farm, which profited $24,000 in sales and employed nine full-time employees.

Moving on to the next stage in their life, Dave and Kathy relocated to Madbury, New Hampshire after Dave boldly sent a letter asking for paid employment and housing. The farm had 30 tilled acres: 1,200 apple trees, 2000 blueberry bushes, 1 acre of peaches, 1 acre of pears - for a fruit lover like David this place was a sticky sweet deal. Dave had been offered to pay the farm owner for lease at a percent of the sales and equipment after two years. Meanwhile, Kathy worked in childcare to help make ends meet. As farmers, we know farming is a seasonal job in terms of income; like Dave, most farmers work July-Sept seven days a week. Kathy�s income supplemented the small family during the winter/spring months.

Fast-forward four years. David (now age 35) and Kathy are ready for a change once more. David didn�t like the quantity of pesticides used; economically, the management practice cost him around $3000 a year. What is more, Dave questioned how healthy personal exposure to pesticides actually was as he pulled on a full-body suit every day to spray the fruits. �It�s more of a risk to the applicator than to the consumer�I was always worried,� he commented to me. For a short while, David and Kathy agreed to help a couple operate an eighty-acre farm. He grew wholesale pumpkins (his favorite vegetable to cultivate). He also ran a CSA program, which grew to support 50 families. Yet, the David and Kathy could not see raising a family or living their life there, despite their success. David�s dream of homesteading could not be squandered.

At this point some may call Dave picky. Why not just pick a strip of land, cultivate the soil and raise a family? Farming is simple, right? He clearly had the experience, knowledge, mindset and work ethic to make his vision reality. I respect David and Kathy for not settling; they were unstoppable in their quest for the right location, home and community.

2005 marked the year Dave and Kathy committed to the North Country. Dave and Kathy Rice had bought twelve aces adjacent to a long-time 200-acre dairy farm. Six acres were open for tillage, the other six deemed as unusable wetlands. Their custom built home was cleverly designed not only to comfortably fit a family of four, but also to efficiently burn only 8 cords of wood a NoCo winter. The former owner, Rich Douglass, used the land for pasture, leaving the area extremely fertile and chemical free with very minimal compaction. �I noticed the silt clay loam makes for better fall crops,� Dave said as he knelt down to give the cracked soil a poke. To boost the fertility of his soil further, Dave relies heavily on cover cropping. While many farmers worry about over-tilling the land, which eventually creates a hardpan, Dave believes his organic practices ensure the health of the soil. In fact, he once had Cornell Cooperative Extension survey the soil for compaction, but they thought the meter was broken because no compaction was measured!

Student interns help Dave get the produce
ready for the farmers market

By July they bought a rototiller and were selling at the farmers market. Kathy worked part-time at Birdsfoot Farm. In 2006, Dave became certified organic and a member of the Finger Lakes Organic Co-Op. One year later, he was the biggest producer for North Country Grown Cooperative and served as the vice president. Marketing wise, Dave sells at the farmers market, the former Blackbird Caf�, the 1844 House as well as his new farm stand, which had just been delivered when I arrived for a visit.

Basil, thyme, parsley, dill, chives and storage cilantro, cabbage, broccoli, bok choy, cauliflower, spring kale, zucchini, pot turro pie pumpkins, Adirondack red potatoes, blue potatoes, delacotta, squash, cucumbers, and red onions are just a few herbs and vegetables cultivated with a single walking tractor on Sweetcore farm.

Some of the apple trees

These annual crops, however, leave no legacy for future generations save on the land they grow. The average age of a farmer is 65, and that statistic isn�t getting any younger. Recognizing this national problem, David planted apple orchards. "Liberty, Freedoms, Honey crisp, Gala, Crimson Crisp, Duchess Oldenburg, Macintosh, Cortland, Mantet, Nova Spies, Red-fry:��David rattled off names of apples like mothers do children. His personal relationship with the apples mirrors his connection to the land. I was amazed by how much he knew about each tree.

After giving me a tour, the most extensive one I have been on yet, David invited me into his home for a drink of water. He pays $400 for fuel a year, which accounts for 100 gallons of propane required to heat the water. They use a wood fire oven in winter months. The solar panel, with eight batteries, is their main source of electricity. In hindsight, Dave said he has not saved money using solar energy. In fact, the solar setup was a quarter of the cost to build his house.

Looking at David�s current lifestyle, I was curious. This man has solar energy, a composting toilet system, and minimal waste; He is practically self-sufficient. What does sustainability mean to Sweetcore? David�s answer seemed like not one at all, �We are participating in the food system, we all go to the grocery store.� Even Dave and Kathy, who personify my future goals, admit to feeding into the system of consumerism. I then wanted to know how sustainable he believes GardenShare to be. Is our vision of  �Healthy Food. Healthy Farms. Everybody Eats.� really attainable? In short, yes. David replied, �In order to survive we have to get food to people- healthy and local food.� Dave caters to all customers by �not trying to limit access�. He offers a wide range of products and prices. Growing and selling vegetables is one way he �beats� the food system.

healthy food - COLLEGE FOOD PANTRIES ADDRESS GROWING PROBLEM - SIBEJO

For many students, the abundant all-you-can-eat smorgasbord in the college cafeteria is far from reality. As tuition has increased, and with more low-income students attending college, food pantries like one at Brooklyn College have sprung up at more than 300 colleges across the country. University of Maryland officials decided one was needed after realizing several years ago that a greater percentage of students, many from low-income families, were struggling. A decade ago, they might have entered the workforce right after high school, but now they realize that a college degree is practically a necessity. The pantry served 170 people in the fall 2015 semester. About half of them were students, and the rest were university employees. Some colleges permit students to donate �swipes� from their dining plans to others who can�t afford to eat.  Columbia University unveiled a plan last year to permit students to donate up to six unused meals a semester through an emergency meal fund, and students who need food can receive up to six vouchers a semester.

Source: New York Times, 6/22/16, College Food Pantries

healthy food - About fundraising - SIBEJO

When it comes to fundraising and charitable giving, the myths or assumptions are often far off from the reality of the situation.

Giving USA�s 2016 report was released last week and tells us that giving is up across the board, which is likely a sign of an improving economy and stabilizing incomes.  Americans gave over $373 billion dollars in 2015, breaking the record set in 2014.  Gifts from individuals still account for around 80 percent of total giving (includes gifts during the donor's lifetime and via bequest).  And, the biggest increase in giving came from individuals.  

So, clearly, the common assumption that it's all about the next grant from a big corporation or foundation is not the truth!

Religious and educational institutions receive the lion�s share of contributions, but health and human services, as well as public benefit charities, both saw increases of over 4 percent nationally.  GardenShare experienced some of this increase in 2015, particularly as it relates to individuals and participation in our fundraising events.

This info-graphic drives home some of the realities of charitable giving in the US and makes it clear why, if an organization like GardenShare is to succeed, it needs to develop a variety of funding sources, and especially donations from individuals!

Gloria

healthy food - FOOD BANKS FIGHT DIABETES - SIBEJO

Many people who depend on food pantries are not underfed, but are obese and diabetic, experts have found. In 2014, one-third of the 15.5 million households served by Feeding America, the nation�s largest hunger-relief organization, reported that a household member had diabetes. Inconsistent access to food worsens the disease, and so can the offerings at the pantries many low-income people must rely on. A growing body of research links food insecurity to uncontrolled diabetes. Diet is partly to blame: The inexpensive food favored by people stretching their dollars is often low in fiber and rich in carbohydrates, which contribute to obesity and Type 2 diabetes. Even when food bank patrons are aware they have diabetes � and many do know � they are not in a position to turn down free fare. Now researchers have begun pursuing innovative new methods to address Type 2 diabetes among people who rely on food banks.  A randomized trial in San Francisco and two other sites seeks to help patrons gain control of both their diets and Type 2 diabetes. Researchers asked pantry patrons if they wanted their blood sugar checked and, if it was high, whether they wanted to enroll in a six-month program to lower it. (A control group was told to wait six months to begin.) For those who enrolled, a staff member handpicked appropriate food from the bank�s shelves, saying no to prepackaged junk, yes to asparagus and peanut butter. Participants pick up bags of selected food twice a month. They also receive referrals to a primary care physician, classes about diabetes management, and regular blood sugar checks. The initial results have been promising. In a pilot study of nearly 700 food pantry visitors in Texas, California and Ohio, participants with the worst blood sugar readings managed modest improvements in a relatively short time.

Source: New York Times, 6/21/16, Food Banks & Diabetes

healthy food - HUNGER DOESN�T TAKE A SUMMER VACATION - SIBEJO

After three years of significant growth, national participation in the Summer Nutrition Programs plateaued last summer. During July 2015, the programs served nearly 3.2 million low-income children across the country, a modest increase of 11,000 participants from July 2014. The Child Nutrition Reauthorization currently being considered by Congress provides an important opportunity to invest in the Summer Nutrition Programs so that more children return to school in the fall, well-nourished and ready to learn. A new report measures the success of the summer programs both in absolute numbers and as a ratio of the number of children receiving summer meals to the number of low-income children receiving school lunch during the regular school year. By that latter measure, fewer than one in six children who needed summer nutrition received it in 2015. Even though total participation in Connecticut decreased from 2014 to 2015, at about 25%, the state�s ratio of summer participants was among the top 5 in the nation.

Source: Food Research Action Council, 6/14/16, Summer Meals