Local Food Production Initiative Meeting on January 19

WHAT: Local Food Production Initiative public meeting
WHEN: Monday, January 19 at 6:30pm
WHERE: Parlor of the Fairhope United Methodist Church Christian Life Center, in Fairhope
TOPIC: Sustainable Agriculture and Gardening by Dr. Harvey Joanning, Professor Emeritus, Iowa State University. Dr. Joanning grew up on a farm in Iowa in which he and his family had large gardens in which they raised much of their food. He supervised a doctoral dissertation dealing with bringing diverse groups together to cooperate in promoting sustainable agriculture. He has worked with the Smart Coast organization looking into the future of agriculture in Baldwin County. He will talk about commercial agriculture and the need for a switch to sustainable agriculture and “kitchen and field gardens.”
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Also at this meeting Elaine Snyder-Conn will give an update on planning for a community garden in Fairhope. Her Committee has met with the mayor and most of the city council members, and has prepared a written memorandum of understanding between the City, the Local Food Production Initiative, and the community gardeners. On January 21 the Committee will make a presentation to the Fairhope Recreation Board asking for their approval to have the community garden at Stimpson Field.
See “this archived post for more information”:http://gulfcoastlocalfood.org/2008/05/fairhope-local-food-production.html on the Local Food Production Initiative, centered in Fairhope. Current projects the Initiative is looking into include establishing a community garden in Fairhope; expanding the season on the Fairhope Farmers Market and perhaps finding a permanent off-street location for the market; educating the public about the opportunity for and benefits of local food production; and exploring ways of encouraging the preservation of farmland in Baldwin County.