Tonight, in honor of the many BSU Earth Week events, Sustainable Mondays is heading on campus!
Later today, from 5:30-7:30pm, we will be hosting an exciting and informative Local Foods Panel at Bemidji State University building Hagg-Sauer in Room 112.
Panelists respond to a question from last year’s Earth Week event: Our Energy Future at Bemidji State University.
This year’s Earth Week Panel will feature five distinct and important regional voices regarding the current state of Local Foods including:
- Jessica Saucedo – Co-founder of Rail River Folk School
- Lisa Weiskopf – Produce Manager Harmony Foods Co-op & Community Kitchen
- Josh Larson – North Country SHIP Coordinator
- Joanne Mulbah – SNAP-Education Program Manager
- Cheryl Krystocek – Local Grower, CSA Farmer, & Natural Choice Farmers market
The panelists will discuss pre-scripted questions such as the positives and barriers of our local foods movement. As well as other topics like conventional/industrial agriculture, the culture of fast food, GMOs and the cost and access of local foods. The second half of the program will open up for attendees to ask the panelists questions as well.
We will also be lucky to have Bill Maki, Bemidji State University’s Vice President for Finance and Administration, welcoming us into tonight’s event. The evening is sure to provide lively discussion and a chance for all attendees to soak in inspiration and information relating to the Local Foods movement. We can’t wait!
*Note: Parking in BSU lots is not open to the public until 6:00 pm, so you will need to find a spot on-street, but at that time of the day, many spots should be available. If you have questions about the location or need directions, give Brett a call at 755.3765.
Chicken Time
This past Monday featured a wonderful combination of shared experiences as three local residents combined to present a wealth of information relating to chickens to the thirty community members in attendance. Sam Kvale shared his experience raising his one hundred chickens in town three summers ago, how he managed their care and the lessons learned by everyone as a result of having 24 hours to vacate the city property. Mayana Rice, city planner, generously welcomed all residents to feel the City, especially in its transition to incorporating parts of Northern and Bemidji township, supported urban agriculture and provided thorough details about the process of applying for a permit to raise chickens in the city.
Kelly Larson, of Northern Flights Farm, then spent the last hour and more answering a wide variety of questions related to chickens. She brought several of her own beautiful hens and a rooster as well as a wide variety of resources from catalogs to lists of conservation poultry breeds and essays on the importance of rediscovering traditional meat from historic chicken breeds. From the ethical challenges of modern industrial chicken raising, to the proper handling, winter accommodations, and other considerations when raising and feeding her birds, Kelly entertained the whole audience as she relayed invaluable information about chickens. We are so thankful for her expertise and time spent sharing it with us!
Now we just have to organize a field trip over to her farm near Bagley! Who’s interested? Keep an eye out for more details…
Kelly Larson,shows one of the Chantecler chickens she brought. Originally bred in Canda, Chantecler chickens are a specialty breed that are incredibly cold tolerant yet still very effective in both egg and meat production.
Thanks to everyone who attended and as always, let us know if you have any questions or suggestions how we can improve Sustainable Mondays as a program!
We look forward to seeing you tonight!
With appreciation,
Brett
Sustainable Mondays is a partnership program with the Indigenous Environmental Network, MN GreenCorps, Rail River Folk School and BSU’s Sustainability Office
For more information contact:
Simone Senogles, 751-4967, simone@ienearth.org
Brett Cease, 755-3765, bcease@bemidjistate.edu
