Eco-Friendly Converge in Alexandria to Shine a Light

Jordan Wright
October 2009
Whisk and Quill and Local Kicks

Flavor, the region’s premier food magazine promoting local, sustainable farming and artisanal food, in conjunction with Alexandria Councilman Rob Krupicka and local restauranteurs hosted an evening of food, film and friends at the George Washington Masonic Memorial last night. Guests were greeted at the door with nibbles from Brabo, Artfully Chocolate, Food Matters, Toigo Farms, Cheesetique, KiwiKuisine, Mom Made Foods, Buzz, Grape + Bean, Evening Star and Alexandria’s farmers markets to benefit ALIVE’s local food bank program.

It was also a chance to view Ana Sophia Joanes 2009 eco-documentary, “Fresh” which has received so many film festival “Official Selection” designations it’s off the charts. The film features Joel Salatin, author and farmer; Michael Pollan, food writer extraordinaire; Milwaukee’s Will Allen, a strapping former basketball player turned urban farmer; George Ball, who turned his family’s supermarket into a vehicle for the theme Buy Fresh Buy Local; Diana Endicott, who organized the local farmers of Kansas City with the Good Natured Family Farms co-op; and an assortment of farmers who have turned their backs on agri-business for the health of their animals, their farms, their customers and their planet.

After the showing Krupicka announced Alexandria’s recent “Eco-City” award from the Virginia Sustainable Building Network, and invited the audience to meet the panel.

The panel consisted of Melissa Harris, editor of Flavor Magazine; Dr. Ruby Lathon, Nutrition Policy Manager at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and heads up the Healthy School Lunch Campaign; Tom Przystawik chef/owner of Food Matters who runs a local CSA from his restaurant; Bernie Prince, co-founder and co-director of FRESHFARM Markets a non-profit that operates nine producer-only farmers markets in the Metro area, its latest across from the White House; award winning Chef Robert Wiedmaier of Brabo, Marcel’s and Brasserie Beck; and Joel Salatin, the owner of Polyface Farm in Swoope, VA.

The evening’s big draw was Salatin, recently recognized by the Heinz Family Foundation for his innovative work in sustainable agriculture and his challenge of traditional methods of agro-business with its pervasive chemical and hormone

usage and mega-farming practices. His provocative, polysyllabic responses explored the issues with humor and hope for the future. As a pioneer in sustainable farming he is both knowledgeable and deeply committed to “healing” the industry “from its shallowness of spirit and shallowness of sacredness” in its treatment of the land and the animals. “We need to start with our plates,” he suggests in a clear rebuke to big-ag’s motto of “fatter, faster, bigger, cheaper”. His Polyface Farm is living proof it can be profitably achieved.

Dr. Lathon of PCRM, whose Healthy School Lunch program focuses on adding fruits and vegetables to kids’ meals, reminded us that with the rate of obesity tripling over the past few decades we need to be more vigilant of our children’s diets. Her “Shrek Smoothies” made by the kids at one local school is one example of getting them excited about eating green.

“Unhealthy kids equals unhealthy adults and puts a strain on our nation’s healthcare system,” she warned. However with the upcoming Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act awaiting congressional approval, there is new hope for nutritious meals in our schools.

Bernie Prince, who described her markets as “producer-only”, spoke of the success of their FoodPrints project that teaches local students how to plant vegetable gardens in their schools and she highlighted the work of Wholesome Wave, an organization that has allowed seniors and needy families to use food stamps and vouchers at area FRESHFARM Markets.

Both chefs Wiedmaier and Przystawik encouraged their fellow chefs to buy local, prepare dishes from scratch and change their menus with the seasons so as not to contribute to the nation’s whopping 20% of all fuel costs to transport food around the country.

Coming off the heels of DC’s recent Green Festival it was one more chance to get your green groove on.

For information contact:

www.polyfacefarms.com
www.flavormags.com
www.pcrm.org
www.cheesetique.com
www.mommadefoods.com
www.kiwikuisine.com
www.braborestaurant.com
www.ackccocoabar.com
www.foodmattersva.com
www.grapeandbean.com ,
www.eveningstarcafe.com
www.buzzonslaters.com
www.localharvest.org/farmersmarkets

For questions and comments contact [email protected]