Local Food, HUB

Local Food, HUB is a HUB, Sustainable Community Network action focus group.

=Minutes=

Oct 19, 2005
brainstormed on issues to focus on:

Develop relationships with local farmers. Farmers need to know that there is demand for foods that they can produce locally. Produce our own food. Community gardens. What public lands available now for community gardens. Equitable distribution of land. Community watches in communities can be used to reach out to the community to develop the community spirti needed to work cooperatively. pressure leaders to produce food more locally. Skills development group on practical skills for the farm. Storm watch project acted as local self-help group. Invest in energy futures. Wiki resource links to documents. Agricultural center resource group (two groups county agriculture people and building local sustainability: canning kitchen.

Related to Peak oil. We produce 1/2 of 1% locally.

Issues
When oil prices spike, we can’t afford costs of fertilizing, producing, and shipping food.

What public green spaces are available to use for agriculture?

Security issues if economy collapses: how can we provide for and meet the basic needs of everyone?

Actions

 * Produce food locally – create relationships with local farmers


 * Increase demands of local consumers


 * Create local “victory gardens”


 * Increase “community watches” and use them for outreach and to develop community spirit.


 * Leverage influence with political leaders around these issues.


 * Create and offer practical life skills development (e.g., canning foods, milling grain), incorporating the Cooperative Extension Services.


 * Re-invigorate depression-era organizations, e.g., storm watch project


 * Compile library of best practices of countries (Cuba), agencies, and states for WIKI site.


 * Responses to peak oil: Create collectives who can pool money to buy into energy futures.

=50 mile radius of Carrboro=

Resources

 * The New Consumer Guide to Locally Produced Livestock Produce


 * Also See Local Food

News
Agriculture Facing It's Own Katrina