SD Speaks: Jared Smith, Jared’s Real Food

Jared Smith

Jared’s Real Food

Hi there! Okay, first & foremost, let’s start at the beginning, how and when did Jared’s Real Food begin? What or who inspired you in your journey?

Jared’s Real Food was started back in 2011 after a series of events stirred my interest in farming. My grandpa was diagnosed with cancer in 2009 and I began to research a lot on the topic. I was really trying to dig down to the source as to why cancer is becoming more prominent in our society as well as various other chronic and autoimmune diseases. I was working in the finance and medical fields after graduating college but decided to start studying nutrition. At the time I also built a small garden in my backyard with the intent of growing healthy food for my family.

I immediately fell in love with gardening and the miracle of watching seeds transform into beautiful plants that nourish our bodies.

It became apparent to me that there is a great need for real food in our country and I really started to consider growing food on a larger scale. During that time my uncle offered me a small strip of land to farm at his property. At first I built 25 raised beds and told my family and friends that I was in business. There was a good initial response and the following year I expanded to a 2 acre lot on the neighboring property. The farm was started as a weekend project as I was working full time at my other job. Slowly but surely the farm grew and I was able to cut back hours until finally going full time as a farmer years later. I’ve been inspired by many farmers over the years including Mark Bendixen, Joel Salatin, Elliot Coleman, J.M. Fortier, and many more. 

We heard you were recognized by No Till Growers and asked to host a workshop event this past February. Tell us about your experience here! 

Yes I recently hosted the first west coast No-Till Growers event at my farm. It was an amazing experience! I gave a 2 hour talk on my farm operation and then did a field walk with demos. It was so great to meet other growers from all around the US and also locally too. There were so many great conversations and new friends met during the event. It was also very refreshing to see first hand that there are many farms all across the US who are focused on soil health and using holistic techniques to grow food. 

What message are you driven most by? How does this relate to your mission? 

I’m driven by the fact that healthy soil is foundational to human society. The same microbes that live in healthy soil also live inside us in our gut flora. We are directly connected to the health of the soil in that regard but also in so many other ways. Without access to food grown in living soil, we simply cannot be functioning at our highest level as humans. I want to see thriving and healthy people in my local community and country as a whole. My mission with starting the farm was to provide the healthiest produce possible to my local community.

I strive to grow produce that is of the highest standard by taking great care to build the fertility of the soil every year. 

What’s a simple action other’s can do now to further sustainable, regenerative  agriculture? 

Start seeking out local regenerative farmers in your area and support them. You might be surprised at all the great local food options you have. The more we support our local producers, the better the health and connection of our community will be. If there aren't many farms in your area then starting a small garden is a great idea too. 

SlowFood strives for “Good. Clean. Fair.” foods. Why are these things important to you? Or choose one that is the most important for you.

Good. Clean. Fair foods are important for many reasons. Good food is real food that comes from the earth and is grown in a way that is good for the earth. That is definitely an important concept that I focus on at my farm. Trying to work with nature rather than fighting it! Good food nourishes us and tastes amazing too. Clean food is also very important. When growing food in a way that is good for the earth, one of the results is not needing to spray toxic pesticides. This too is a huge focus at my farm. My pest control strategy is to design a landscape with great crop diversity and flowers to create more balance by attracting beneficial insects to the site. The beneficial insects pollinate flowers and also eat pest insects that would otherwise overwhelm the crops. 

#SlowFoodSolidarity: Supporting Local Food Businesses

Our SlowFood community is aware of the burdens this pandemic is having on our local food businesses. From local farms, restaurants, and even the sea - we put together a short list of SlowFood businesses that you can support in this time of need!

Help keep us updated! Do you have a SlowFood business you think we missed?

Email janelle@slowfoodurbansandiego.org

(Posted & Updated 04/13/20)

— — —

Support Local Farms

CSA - Community Support Agriculture; Did you know SD has the most small organic farms than any other county in the nation? Support our farmers during this especially difficult time for them!

• SD Farm Bureau - Farm Support List

• Edible San Diego’s Local Partners Shopping Guide

CSF - Community Support Fisheries

• Tuna Harbor Dockside Market - Saturdays 8am to 1pm

  • Contact tunaharbordocksidemkt@gmail.com to inquire delivery and pick up orders!

Farmer’s Markets - click here to stay updated on Edible San Diego’s list

Tuesdays

• Coronado

• Otay Ranch

• Vail Headquarters

Wednesday

• Santee

• South Bay (to-go orders only)

• Temecula

Friday

• La Mesa (to-go orders only)

Saturday

• Little Italy

• Poway

Sunday

• La Jolla Open Aire

• Murrieta

Volunteer Your Time

Other Organization’s Support Pages

• FarmAid

• SD Food Systems Alliance

• Edible San Diego

• San Diego Growers

Meal Distribution and/or Volunteer Pages

• San Diego Food Bank

• Feeding San Diego

• Kitchens for Good

School Districts Meal Distribution

• Look up each individual school district or school for updated site lists on their websites or social media pages. Many school districts add or change schools on a weekly basis.

Support Your Local Restaurant

Resource List: How to #SupportLocal in San Diego Without Leaving Home

There are ways to support San Diego County farms, restaurants, artisans, and small businesses even while practicing social distancing.

Thanks to Edible San Diego for this fantastic list!

International Symposium on Fisheries Sustainability by Jordyn Kastlunger

International Symposium on Fisheries Sustainability

Recap by Jordyn Kastlunger

Rome, Italy

For the second time in six months, I boarded a plane en route to Italy. This time I was attending the United Nations International Symposium on Fisheries Sustainability in Rome. Four of us from around the United States (California, Maine, Alaska, and South Carolina) all arrived early on Sunday morning having never met each other but becoming family by the end of the week.  Our first order of business was to take a three hour vespa tour around the city and get our fill of the sights. Once again the history of the city spoke for itself and we spent the afternoon in awe of the city around us.

The day was spent sitting in on conversations centered around preserving fisheries and policies.

Monday morning we made our way bright and early to the U.N to meet others in attendance from all over the world including Africa, Guatemala, etc. The day was spent sitting in on conversations centered around preserving fisheries and policies. Tuesday morning we made our way back to the U.N building and the days topics consisted of stock management both on the regional and global level, planning for a sustainable future and implementing food security and conservation. Wednesday was filled with conversation that focused around gender influence and gender roles in the fisheries and how they effect the livelihoods of those who are involved in them. Topics that day also included new approaches in fisheries governance and engagement with the fishers.

As to be expected, climate change dominated the panel discussion during the few days we were there. I took a lot away from the symposium but still the thing that was the most surprising to me was that of the 500+ people that were in attendance, only 1% (10 people) were directly related to fisheries or fishermen themselves.

…most surprising to me was that of the 500+ people that were in attendance, only 1% (10 people) were directly related to fisheries or fishermen themselves.

Ultimately, at the end of the week as I boarded my plane to come home, I was feeling extremely grateful for the knowledge that was gained, the friendships that were formed, and the experiences that were had. It was an amazing opportunity and it was eye opening to gather a better understanding of how big all of these issues are. The obstacles stretch much further than you would expect, and yet regardless of where you are from we are all facing the same adversities.  

More Than Enough: The Carbon Sink Farming Convergence by Julie Diaz, Belinda Ramírez, Nathan Lou, & Colin H. Richard

Carbon Sink Convergence 2019

By Julie Diaz, Belinda Ramírez, Nathan Lou, & Colin H. Richard

The Carbon Sink Farming Convergence, held in San Diego County’s Pauma Valley in early November, was in many ways a series of bridges. It bridged thought leadership represented by a multitude of voices from across disciplines and landscapes, communities and continents, and traditions and cultures near and far, carrying critical knowledge and accumulated experience to the November event. 

It served to facilitate dialogues that bridged demographic divides, amplifying voices with infinitely more wisdom and capacity than they have devoted to them in the typical public sphere, including most events devoted to “sustainable agriculture”. 

Looking ahead, the event will serve as a bridge forward into the future and outward into the global community with a much needed message: that farming’s effect on the world, instead of filling the atmosphere with carbon and draining realms from the soil to society - especially traditional indigenous societies - of cherished ecological and cultural resources, can support and restore them instead.

Photo: @colinhrichard

Agriculture can not only sink carbon back into the soil through composting and reducing tillage, but it can replenish cultural heritage and rural communities with the richness its been drained of by colonialism, patriarchy and over consumption.

Several statements from the event organizers at Solidarity Farm:“We believe we can evolve our food system through

1. Re-integrating indigenous foodways;

2. Supporting farmer-led demonstration projects; and

3. Engaging technical assistance providers, consumers, policy makers, scientists and advocates.”

A number of Slow Food URBAN San Diego Board Members and friends had the opportunity to attend the Carbon Sink Farming Convergence, and several took the opportunity to share a few words:

Julie Diaz

I did not know what to expect at the Carbon Sink Farming Convergence at Solidarity Farm.  I am not a farmer, or a policy maker, or a person with indigenous roots. I am a person who loves good, clean, and fair food and wants to connect everyone to it.  From the moment I walked onto the grounds of Solidarity Farm that Tuesday morning I felt the connection. 

Photo: @colinhrichard

The circles of hay bales around fire pits was a natural gathering spot for people to commune with each other.  And when the food was served for breakfast, soup with fresh vegetables and chicken from the farm, and a salad with beautiful persimmons and pomegranate arils topped with chia seeds I felt a connection to the land. Throughout the day we gathered in circles to share our stories and hear others’ stories and form relationships with each other.  And connection to the land and the people who have stewarded this land for centuries. This was more than I could ever expect to receive from this day, this convergence on sacred ground.

Belinda Ramírez

Photo: Belinda Ramírez

As someone with local farming experience with Wild Willow Farm, Project New Village’s Mt. Hope Community Garden, and W.D. Dickinson Farm, I had been looking forward to the Carbon Sink Farming Convergence since the inaugural “Fight Climate Change with Your Fork” event. Held earlier that year in March and hosted by Solidarity Farm, this event was positioned as the beginning of a carbon farming movement in San Diego, with the Convergence as the follow-up act. When the Convergence finally came, it was absolutely wonderful to see so many familiar faces from the San Diego urban agriculture and farming worlds; indeed, to me it felt like family coming together. And of course I very much enjoyed getting to meet new players and think strategically together on how to build a more resilient food system. I was especially grateful for the strong centering of indigenous voices during the event, with perspectives and strategies shared by folks from local tribes, such as the Pauma Band of Luiseño Indians, as well as from the faraway Blackfeet Nation. In what could be considered the third act, the challenge now is keeping up the momentum that was built during the Convergence and turning our sights to actionable, tangible goals that we can collaboratively accomplish in our effort to make real an inclusive and justice-oriented regenerative agricultural system in San Diego County.

Nathan Lou

Photo: @colinhrichard

The Carbon Sink Farming Convergence at Solidarity Farm was an event that brought together diverse community and representation from across the agriculture industry. I enjoy participating in experiences that spark inspiration and catalyze growth. This gathering facilitated nourishment, networking, and opportunity. There were many moments that acknowledged the current mechanisms by which we manage agriculture and food systems, and how they are failing. Yet, an essence of hopefulness remained, as cultural traditions showed the capacity of regenerative models. As cap-and-trade funds continue to feed the carbon farming (Healthy Soils) program, it is critical that successful, scalable models emerge and carbon can be measurably sequestered. Additionally, more support for regenerative farming practices, such as cover crops and perennial hedgerows, will reduced dependency on chemical inputs and increase biodiversity. This seems like a clear opportunity for the redistribution of wealth in an industry that has been dominated by greed and destruction under the guise of social necessity. It is time to restore balance and harmony.

Colin H. Richard

I knew in general that I was going to appreciate the Convergence, but also knew well enough to not go into it predicting how. I can’t really identify as a “farmer”, so I valued the way the planners created categories like “Knowledge To Share” and “Movement Builders” (the category I felt I fit best in) for breakout sessions. The richness of camaraderie I felt in seeing so many familiar faces from the San Diego food system community, as well as in learning from so many voices of highly deserving, under-acknowledged demographics, was paramount. My enduring gratitude for the work of Solidarity Farm and those programs they support, like that of the Luiseño First Nation and MESA - Multinational Exchange of Sustainable Agriculture - tied it all together. Getting to connect with their MESA students, including Cecilia Njoroge, a Kenyan of Kikuyu descent, tied it all together. Her time at Solidarity will support her community based NGO in Kenya that seeks to empower smallholder farmers, including those of Maasai descent, who are working to preserve and revive their endangered traditional foods. 

Photo: @colinhrichard

Unlike many events with a body of attendance far less enriched by the diversity gathered Carbon Sink Farm Convergence, the deep philosophy cultivated by Solidarity Farm that drives all they do is well worth echoing here. These agreements were set forth for the Convergence by Solidarity’s staff and the international Stewards from MESA that they host:

“We commit to honoring the knowledge that all participants bring to the table, understanding that lived experience is as valid as knowledge gained through formal training.”

“We believe that historical trauma and the current state of our world are heavy burdens, and understand that reparations and healing are essential to movement building. As such, we commit to lifting up solutions that acknowledge historical inequity and build trust.”

“We understand that privilege affects group dynamics and commit to reflecting this understanding through our behavior. As individuals, we will accept and integrate feedback on how our participation is experienced by others.”

“We commit to  respecting each other and those who lead us. Respect involves listening when others are talking, providing evidence to back our statements, being on time, being open to possibility and to new experiences, and respecting views different to our own. In this space, we commit to being united in our differences and open to other perspectives.”“Finally, we commit to respecting ourselves. We will do this through active engagement in learning and positive dialogue so that we may constantly strive to be the best versions of ourselves. Together.”

Though these intentions may not seem requisite to a farming conference, those seeking awareness of the power of agriculture to reverse climate change, mend relationships fractured by racism, classism and nationalism, and restore biodiversity to landscapes and our diets will see much wisdom and insight in them. And if achieving - or even pursuing - them seems like a daunting charge, attendees were reminded by event speaker and renowned grain farmer Mai Nguyen through a group proclamation that “We are the tools. We are the future. We are enough … MORE than enough!”

SD Speaks: Belinda Ramírez, Urban Food Producer and PhD Researcher

Belinda Ramírez

Urban Food Producer and PhD Researcher

Hi there! Okay, first & foremost, let’s start with your story. How did you get to where you are today?

It’s been an interesting journey! I recently joined the Slow Food Urban San Diego board as Food Justice Co-Chair, serving alongside Nathan Lou. The past decade of my life has revolved around academia and the university setting. I studied anthropology as an undergraduate and then entered the PhD program in sociocultural anthropology at UC San Diego in 2014. My first research interests as an undergraduate took me to northern Thailand, where I lived for about five months. There I fell into studying a small religious sect among Hmong refugees. Wanting more research experience and to get to Latin America, where my dad’s family lives, I went to Ecuador to study the language and culture of Kichwa-speaking folks living in the Amazon. I was immediately struck with the unique worldview among forest-dwelling peoples, particularly as it manifested in their relationships to animals, plants, and nature. I wrote my Master’s thesis on the ways Runa (a group of people who speak Kichwa) folks approach growing food in their chagras, or family-inherited small agricultural plots, and how that relates to Runa cosmologies.

Captured during Belinda’s work in Ecuador.

Wanting to branch out on more local-to-me topics for my dissertation research, I decided to take some of what I’d learned in Thailand and Ecuador and apply those concepts to the San Diego-Tijuana area. This has materialized as an investigation into urban agriculture in this metropolitan region, particularly as it intersects with questions of race and politics. Doing this local work, mixed with advocacy and activism efforts, has introduced me to all kinds of great folks doing good work on the food and agricultural fronts in San Diego, including many of the current Slow Food Urban San Diego board members. I have also had the opportunity to work as the food production manager at Mt. Hope Community Garden, run by the food justice-oriented non-profit Project New Village. Being engaged with this work through multiple working groups, internships, courses, etc., I have come to get a good understanding of the state of the food and (urban) agriculture scene in San Diego and Tijuana and am excited to be witness to and take part in its expansion.

As a PhD student in Anthropology, how do you connect your research to the food systems? 

My research looks into the lived experiences of those engaged in urban agriculture--both food producers and organizers, and particularly people of color. I’m interested in the struggles and everyday conflicts these folks (myself included!) go through while trying to shape the world according to what they think is a better way of living and being, and how they negotiate making compromises when their ideal world views don’t match up with the reality we’re faced with. In this way I hope to highlight the very real hurdles producers and organizers are confronted with so that we can have a clearer idea of what needs to be addressed for true systemic change to occur. For instance, making a living off of small-scale agriculture is a really difficult thing to do. But not only that, it’s also fraught with all kinds of ethical quandaries, particularly for growers who have a leaning toward social justice. For example, how can you benefit a low-income community with little access to healthy food while you’re constrained by the higher costs associated with growing organically on a small scale? Furthermore, there are loads of cultural and historical barriers to there even being a market for this kind of food in some areas of San Diego. Even if those engaged in urban agriculture see local food production as a way to equalize the imbalances of the food system, not everyone might agree. Confronting these challenges and realities head on, I think, is the best way to actualize a (hopefully) better reality.

Who or what [company, group, chef, flavors, farmer, etc] inspired you?

Growing up, my family would sometimes go up to Oregon to visit my mom’s side of the family. I always loved those trips--Oregon was this green wonderland, full of trees and life. So many people, including my extended family, were gardening at their homes. Front yards, backyards, chicken coops, community gardens--growing food seemed to be a way of life there in a way I just didn’t see in suburban Southern California. Helping my aunts and uncles garden really made an impression on me, as well as gardening and farming experiences in the Amazon. But it wasn’t until about 5 years ago when I started gardening on my own, and it was this personal experience that really solidified my current trajectory. My academic research was a way to get closer to growing food and learning about the complicated nature of such an endeavor. So, to sum it up, I’d say my biggest inspirations have come from family; Runa folks I’ve gardened with; academic-types like Alison Alkon, Teresa Mares, Julian Agyeman, Eric Holt-Giménez, Robert Gottlieb, Julie Guthman, Monica White, and Gail Myers, among many others; famous-to-us growers like Leah Penniman and Curtis Stone; and of course the people I’ve met in San Diego engaged in this work--in particular, folks from Wild Willow Farm and Education Center and Project New Village.

SlowFood strives for “Good. Clean. Fair.” foods. Why are these things important to you? Or choose one that is the most important for you. 

To me, “good” refers to the positive nutritional qualities and health benefits that can be offered by certain foods, like something we might deem to be “healthy”. “Clean” means that that good food has been grown, processed, and prepared in ways that strive to steer away from the overuse of technology to “enhance” our food, which really just serves to hurt us and the earth in big and small ways over time. Like the use of pesticides and inorganic fertilizers to grow crops. And then “fair” for me points to an awareness of how that good and clean food was produced (i.e. who produced it), how it was distributed (and to whom), how much it costs to purchase and consume, and how well everyone along the supply chain was compensated for their labor (particularly the producers). Overall, all of these elements of food are super important to me because of their ability to teach a generally unknowing public about where food comes from--it inspires critical thinking about how that vegetable ended up on your plate, and we most certainly need more of that kind of thinking in order to really get to food that is good, clean, and fair.

Choose one of our SlowFood Urban San Diego Pillars (Engage. Enrich. Empower.) that your work relates to the most and why.

I think that the imperative to “empower” resounds most with me and my work, if nothing else at the aspirational level.

If we don’t strive to bolster up people doing fabulous food work in San Diego, what are we here for? No one of us--organizations, groups, or individuals--can push the food movement forward alone.

All of the different angles the food movement takes, from agriculture to restaurants to fisheries, are vital elements of a larger goal to radically change the way we think about getting, selling, distributing, and eating food. So for me, the significance of Slow Food Urban San Diego lies in adding another important voice to the mix in order to create connections between these various facets of the food movement in San Diego. As a more holistic and all-encompassing organization, we are in a prime position to empower the other groups under the food movement umbrella so that we can all march slowly and steadily forward toward better food for all.

I hope that my work as a researcher, a food producer, and in my capacity as Food Justice Co-Chair can be empowering for those engaged in the urban agriculture movement--producers, organizers, and advocates. I tend to approach problems with a deep awareness that it is very unlikely that I am the first one to confront this issue, so I might as well learn from what others have gone through so as not to reinvent the wheel. I also know I won’t be the last to have said problem, so it feels like a service to others to make it known what I learned from the process. I firmly believe that communication can help advance us further along our goals than if we’re all working siloed and disconnected from each other. So I want my work to reflect this kind of approach and serve to bolster the voices of those not normally seen within the food and urban agriculture movements.

World Food Day 2019 at Sherman Elementary by Julie Diaz

World Food Day 2019

Sherman Elementary

When you drive up to Sherman Elementary School in Sherman Heights, at first you only see building, concrete, and an open field.  Yet if you look closely on the north side of the building, nestled between a wall and the field, behind a tall fence, there is an oasis in this urban setting.  This is where the students of Sherman Elementary get to experience nature.

It has not always been this way.  When Christina Abuelo’s oldest son entered kindergarten at the school, it was an empty lot where the administration was planning to expand.  Christina envisioned a garden there and an opportunity for these students who live in or near one of the most resource poor neighborhoods in the city to actually see plants and vegetables growing.

Christina has not only built a garden she has built a community. 

Parents and community members eagerly work to keep the garden going, offering resources for the students.  This was evident on World Food Day on 10/16.  Sherman Elementary was awarded one of the Slow Food/FAO North America micro-grants to provide an activity for students and the community to bring attention to healthy and sustainable diets that are affordable and accessible to everyone.  

When the students entered the garden, they were given a recipe card to take with them to the tables where they selected and cut up their own vegetables to go in Vegetable Lentil Soup that they would prepare at home with their families.  Each child cut, measured, and added their vegetables to a bag, then wrote their recipe. After picking up a bag of lentils they were able to create a drawing of their experience which will be entered in the World Food Day poster contest. 

Over 100 students participated in this event, happily tasting some Vegetable Lentil Soup, trying some of the fresh vegetables, exploring the garden with the beautiful newly painted food mural in the background.

Good, clean, and fair food enjoyed by all!

This recap article was written by Julie Diaz, Slow Food Urban SD Education Chair

SD Speaks: Peter Halmay, San Diego’s Sea Urchin Diver

Peter Halmay

Local Sea Urchin Diver

Ahoy there, Pete! We’re grateful to have you on this segment of our SlowFood Urban blog. Let’s start with your story. How did your adventure out at sea begin? How did it lead specifically to sea urchin?

In 1970, I left my job as a consulting civil engineer and went diving for abalones. Thinking of taking 2 years off to go diving. Never went back. Abalones were getting scarcer and there was talk of developing a brand new fishery for Red Sea urchins to be shipped to Japan. I was one of the first to start diving for sea urchins in San Diego.

Being out at sea must be exciting. Do you have a favorite or proudest memory from when you were out there? What about a moment most challenging?

I have been diving commercially in California for almost a half a century. I have made over 21,000 dives. There is not one dive that really sticks out. What I remember is that I spent all that time in such an outstanding environment; free of gravity, an always changing environment.

What I remember is that I spent all that time in such an outstanding environment; free of gravity, an always changing environment.

There’s a lot of talk about keeping our oceans and bay clean. What message do you have for San Diegeans on this topic?

Each person has to have ethics so they do the right thing without being told or given a roadmap.

It can be hard for the average family to make the switch to buying local, seasonal food - especially seafood. What sets the SD Tuna Harbor apart from buying from a grocery store?

What sets Tuna Harbor Dockside Market is that it is not a boring store. You get to enjoy the ambiance of the fishing docks, meet fishermen, learn about how fish are harvested. Buying at [Tuna Harbor Dockside Market] is a field trip, not a job.

SlowFood strives for “Good. Clean. Fair.” foods. Why are these things important to you?

As a fisherman “good clean, fair” means buying from local fishermen who harvest in a sustainable manner and provide the freshest best quality seafood .

~

Visit the Tuna Harbor Dock on Saturdays from 8am until 1pm to meet the fishermen and try locally caught fish.

Local Catch Summit 2019 in Portland, OR by Jordyn Kastlunger

Local Catch Summit 2019

Recap by Jordyn Kastlunger

As I walked into the Redd on Salmon St. in Portland Oregon for the third Local Catch Summit, I expected nothing less than a room packed with individuals all ready to share their stories. I was right, on day 1 of the summit, I walked through the doors and was greeted by familiar faces, and introduced to those I did not recognize. The room was full of like-minded people, from all aspects of the fishing industry, from all parts of the United States. I spent the weekend surrounded with fellow fishermen, processors, chefs, etc. from places like Alaska, Maine, and Louisiana, and we all had one goal; to help each other. I sat on a panel day two to talk about how fishermen can connect to restaurants and what makes that relationship so unique for both the chefs, and those who are bringing in the catch. 

I spent the weekend surrounded with fellow fishermen, processors, chefs, etc. from places like Alaska, Maine, and Louisiana, and we all had one goal; to help each other.

As always, I enjoyed being able to share my story with other people and to listen to theirs. Many of us are faced with similar challenges and we get to strategize together and try to overcome them in the same way. We were all attending the summit to gain more information while simultaneously sharing the knowledge that we have.

At the end of the weekend, I walked away with so much learned knowledge and I am already looking forward to the next summit! 

Interested in Joining Our Board? Nominations Are Open for 2020!

Slow Food Urban San Diego is soliciting applications for our Board of Directors. If you are interested in joining our Board, please fill out our application by November 15. In-person interviews will be scheduled mid-to-late November. Join us in supporting good, clean & fair food in our community. Positions up for election are described below.

Members of the Board serve up to two two-year terms in any one position, and newly elected Board Members will serve during 2020-2022, beginning in January 2020. To be eligible, you must have or obtain a Slow Food membership. 

OPEN POSITIONS:

SFUSD Vice Chair

Support overall development and outreach goals through collaborative efforts and a focus on strategic planning; oversee administrative tasks, communications, financial responsibilities and managing a number of community partnerships and donor relations.

Secretary

The Secretary produces minutes for Chapter Board meetings and the Annual Membership meeting. Ideally a position held by “seasoned” SFUSD board member. The Secretary helps to keep meetings on time and moving, including keeping notes for meeting agenda items. This role will also be part of the proposed “Executive Committee” and can offer advice on prioritizing activities among other committees/board members.

Treasurer

The Treasurer manages all financial operations for the Chapter: records the income and expenditures of the Chapter in a digital database, reports financial status to the Board at each Board meeting, prepares and submits the Chapter’s annual tax filing requirements, pays invoices and reimbursements within 30 days of complete receipt, acts as one of at least two signing authorities for the Chapter bank account, prepares an annual report and budget for the Chapter, may set fundraising goals and activities for the Chapter, may design and oversee a budgeting process for the Chapter.

Education Vice Chair

Supports the Education Chair in their role, assists in collection of content for publication of Edible San Diego for Kids or on SFUSD blog and podcast, provides assistance in supporting educational opportunities on campus and school chapters and gardens.

Farm Liaison/Ark of Taste Chair

The Farm Liaison/Ark of Taste Chair works to link Slow Food Urban San Diego with the local farming community and recommends strategies for the Chapter to advocate for and support farmers. The Farm Liaison sits on the Slow Food California Ark of Taste Committee (to include two conference calls a month and review of applications to the Ark) and to support Ark of Taste Programming and recognition in San Diego. The Farm Liaison may form a committee.

Events Coordinator

Slow Food Urban San Diego is seeking an organized event planner that is passionate about building community around good, clean & fair food for all. The Coordinator will build and host special programming, seminars, cooking demonstrations, Slow Sips and other events year round. The Events coordinator may form a committee and/or coordinate volunteers. Support will be provided by the Membership Chair.

Policy Chair

The policy chair works to educate the board and its members on local, state, and federal legislation that could potentially impact the food system, especially as they pertain to Slow Food's mission. The policy chair also takes action on behalf of Slow Food Urban San Diego to support or oppose pertinent policies.

SDSpeaks with Sasha Escue, Social Services Director of Nutrition Services

Sasha Escue

Social Services Director of Nutrition Services

Hi there! Okay, first & foremost, let’s start with your story. What do you do and how did you get there? 

My current position is at JFS [Jewish Family Services] as the Director of Nutrition Services. We provide supportive service to anyone from the homeless, the unemployed, working families, to seniors. It is the most rewarding job and as a bonus that I get to be around food! I got here by following my passions. I knew I always wanted to do something to better the world and used that as my guiding compass. I also knew I had a special relationship to food so I kept that close to my heart. 

What has been your greatest accomplishment [most proud of] so far in your journey? 

My current job is something I’ve worked really hard at and very proud of but my greatest accomplishment thus far is the Peace Corps. I worked in Guatemala for two years in Food Security and not a day goes by where I don't think back to how those struggles shaped me to be who I am today.

Have you had to overcome any roadblocks along the way?

Absolutely! I am skeptical towards anyone who may claim that they haven’t had any roadblocks on their journey. 

Whether it be personal or external, self doubt, or lack of knowledge - there are so many things that can get in our way and often times people chose to stop there. I think all roadblocks can be broken down to speed bumps if we’re willing to accept them and keep moving forward.

Who or what [company, group, chef, flavors, place, etc] inspired you?

From a very young age I was self inspired to host my own cooking shows and knew that I wanted to go to culinary school. When I was 19 I met a very dear friend named Primo in Florence. He explained to me certain things about food that I had never experienced before and I finally understood that there were other people out there who were just as crazy about food as me! Apparently they all lived in Italy! From there I went to culinary school and began to speak to local chefs about their lives and passions. I think all of my close Italian friends really helped cultivate that for me. Alice Waters also helped get me back to the United States. After reading some of her books I could see that there was a momentum in the US that I wanted to be part of. 

We often hear that networking is key when building yourself in your work. Do you have any advice network and making connections? 

Yes, follow your passion! I dislike the term networking- it feels so contrived. Speak to people, real people, connect in person or on the phone to others who hold similar positions, values, or aspirations. Let them hear you and your passion!

“I dislike the term networking- it feels so contrived. Speak to people, real people, connect in person or on the phone to others who hold similar positions, values, or aspirations. Let them hear you and your passion. ”

People want to be around others who are passionate, like-minded individuals. Also, smile- that never hurts

SlowFood strives for “Good. Clean. Fair.” foods. Why are these things important to you? Or choose one that is the most important for you.

The value of clean food really resonates with me. I think it actually goes hand in hand with the other values of good and fair food. Nine times out of ten, clean food is also going to be good and delicious food. Clean food most importantly, impacts our environment in a positive way, which trickles down to everyone making it fair for all.

Since you now sit on the San Diego Chapter for SlowFood, we’re wondering which of the San Diego Pillars (Engage. Enrich. Empower.) that your work relates to the most and why.

I chose the pillar of enrich. Enrichment means the action of improving or enhancing the quality of something. Through my work at JFS or Slow Food Urban San Diego I strive to enrich others lives and enhance their health by providing access to better quality foods. 

Tasty Tuesday: Lamb Stuffed Grape Leaves

Lamb Stuffed

Grape Leaves

With the autumn leaves falling from our trees (sorta, we live in SD), enjoy this stuffed grape leaves recipe from Dan Parker.

Ahh, autumn. We are sure you are enjoying one of the season’s most bountiful fruit - grapes. While they come in all sorts of colors, sweetness levels, sizes and more; we often forget to enjoy the other parts of the wonderful vine — the grape leaves! Dan Parker, husband of our Slow Food Urban Secretary Stephanie Parker, reminisces moments stuffing grapes leaves with his grandmother. Here is his grandmother’s recipe!

Ingredients/ Equipment:

• 60 or so grape leaves (we used a combo of fresh and pickled) rinsed

• 2 cups of rice (we used long grain white rice)

• 2 lbs of ground lamb

• 2 tsp salt + 1 tsp for water

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp Allspice

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

• 1/4 tsp oregano

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• Juice of 2-3 lemons

Instructions:

1. Rinse grape leaves and dry them in linen towel.

2. Add meat, rice, cinnamon, allspice, 2 tsp salt, pepper, oregano and garlic into a bowl and mix together.

3. Roll meat and rice mixture into grape leaves and place in pot tightly together.

4. Place a plate on top of leaves to hold down.

5. Add 1 tsp salt and lemon juice to water and fil lto the rim of the plate.

6. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 90 minutes.

   While we waited, we snacked on some fresh na’an from North Park Produce, some Labneh and Za’atar spices from our friends Smij Spicery.

   We grilled up some beef and veggie kabobs and had a delicious feast for dinner! We love dipping our grape leaves in Labneh.

Tasty Tuesday: My Grandma’s Poha Bhataka

Poha Bhataka

Here’s another student recipe from High Tech High student, Shreena Bhakta. She shares her grandmother’s family recipe and story reflection.

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons of canola oil

• 1/2 teaspoons of mustard seeds

• 1/2 teaspoon of cumin seeds

• 1 large Idaho potato. Peeled and diced.

• 1/2 a white onion. Peeled and diced.

• 1 cloves of garlic

• 2 serrano chiles

• 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric

• 1/2 tablespoon of salt

• 1 1/2 tablespoons of lemon juice

• 2 poha (flattened rice. Washed and drained.

Steps:

1. First, we are going to put oil in a large, non-stick skillet, on medium heat.

2. Second, we add mustard seed into the pan. Wait for them to sizzle and pop.

3. Third, you add the cumin seeds.

4. Then, we are going to add the diced potatoes, cover and stir occasionally for 5 minutes.

5. After, you check if you potatoes are cooked through by cutting through some of the chunks.

6. Next, we are going to add the onion, crushed garlic, and finely chopped serrano chiles

7. Then, you add turmeric, salt, and lemon juice. Cook for an additional 5 minutes with your pan covered, stirring occasionally.

8. Meanwhile, we are going to wash and drain the poha in hot water.

9. Lastly, you add the poha to the pan. Stir thoroughly and lower the heat to low.

10. We cook the poha for 8-10 minutes until it has heated through completely.

11. Enjoy!

    
    Shreena’s Family Reflection

    I live the typical life of a West Coast high schooler: I go to school, I drink Starbucks and say, “You guys,” all the time, and I occasionally go to the beach. I have had an easy life without struggles, because I have been given everything. For some, like many of the members in my family, they didn’t have the same opportunities as me and had to work through the challenges to be where they are now. I recently sat down with my paternal grandmother, Kanchanben Bhakta, to learn about her life: the struggles and opportunities. 

    My grandmother grew up in a small village in Syadla, India with her large family of 8. Neighbors led their cows and buffalos as they wandered through the windy roads, younger children laughed and played while the teenagers began every morning with their extensive journeys to school. There were fathers farming in the fields, gathering crops to later feed to their families. Women stayed at home, raising the kids and completing their motherly duties. Kanchanben was a typical village girl, going to school everyday, and then coming home to play with her friends and siblings without a care in the world. Once in a while, she used to watch her mother, Bhikhiben, cook for the family. My grandmother learned to cook an abundance of traditional dishes, from a variety of vegetable and lentil soups, to different vegetable dishes. She carried her knowledge of cooking, this passion for cooking, and this love for cooking with her all throughout her life. 

    When she was older, Kanchanben left for college. My grandmother was set on becoming a professor, to teach Gujarati or Sanskrit. When she wasn’t hard at work, she was with her friends. They would sit at one particular table and enjoy Poha Bataka, a dish that brought her back to those memories from home. She created special memories with her friends. But, she never expected what would happen next. 

    Word from home came saying that she was to go with her brother to Detroit, and later get an arranged marriage to Mohanbhai, my grandfather, in San Francisco. Her dreams of becoming a professor were long gone. Her college years, and the memories she created there, were over. She would never see her friends again; never enjoy Poha Bataka with them again. She would have to go to a new country, with a new culture and a new language, and suddenly adjust to that and being married to a man she had 

    never even met before. She didn’t have a choice, so she went. She left her studies behind and never looked back. 

    When she got married and finally settled down with Mohanbhai in San Diego, they found themselves in the hotel business. They had three children and raised them in the hotel. Life for Kanchanben has been the same since. Her children went off to start their own lives and she continued living with her husband, taking care of Pacifica Hotel. 

    When she finished explaining her story, I was shocked. I had no idea she was studying to become a professor when her life turned upside down. I knew the same thing happened to my mom, being forced to leave school to be married. I had no idea that she cherished the time spent with her friends in college eating a dish as simple as Poha Bataka. Because of her memories with the dish, I too, wanted to make new memories with the people that I love. Love is the roots of this dish, of all the dishes my family makes - all of the choices they make, as well. 

    All of this new knowledge explains the reasoning behind her choices, as well as the rest of my family’s. I finally understand why they push me and my sister in school, why they push us to take the opportunities given to us, why they push us to be the people we are. Because they weren’t able to. They had to work hard and make sacrifices to have the life they have now, and to give us the lives we have now. I know now that they are not trying to force us to work all the time, but they are trying to make sure we have a bright future. I know those demands are coming from a good place. 

    From learning about her story coupled with my previous knowledge of my mother’s story, I want to keep making the most out of what I have. I tend to skip over how grateful I am to live in a structurally sound house, to have a nice bed to sleep on, to have delicious food on my plate, and to have an incredible education. I realized that so many kids my age don’t have the things that I have now, and many of my family members used to be those kids. 

    I hope that in the future, I can my make family proud, make my friends proud, but I hope that most of all, I can make myself proud.

Tasty Tuesday: Lonches for Lunch, Anyone?

Remember those assignments back in grade school where you were asked to interview a family member about a significant part of their lives? At High Tech High, students are asked to complete a Family Recipe Project, interviewing family members about a special dish they love to cook or eat.

Isabela Avila, Grade 10, shares her grandmother’s recipe with us…

Getting to interview my grandmother for the Family Recipe Project taught me the importance of really understanding why food plays such a pivotal role in my family. Partly because we’re Mexican and food has always been a substantial part of our culture, and also because who doesn’t love getting together with the people you cherish the most over a good home cooked meal?

When asked about a traditional family recipe, my grandmother answered with what she has been cooking for decades, lonches estilo Jalisco. Most people would see the dish and assume it’s either a torta or a bolillo. However, what determines whether it’s a lonche, torta, or bolillo is the type of bread and meat used. The lonche is almost like a sandwich, but not quiteー filled with meat covered in chile rojo, other spices and herbs, and served on a bolillo salado.

Recipe for Lonches Estilo Jalisco

Ingredients:

• 1 kg of beef

• 2 onions

• 3 garlic cloves (peeled)

• 2 “chiles pasillas” without seeds

• 2 “chiles ancho” without seeds

• 1 cube of Knorr Suiza

• 4 birotes

• Sour Cream

Steps:

1. Cook the meat and add salt to taste

2. In the blender, add onion, garlic cloves, Knorr Suiza cube, and pepper to taste. The consistency shouldn’t be watery, but rather thick.

3. Once the meat is done cooking, begin to shred it.

4. In another pot, add the chile pasilla and chile ancho with water for 15 minutes, or until it comes to a boil.

5. Afterwards, blend the chiles water into a chile paste.

6. Evenly distribute the chile paste onto the meat and mix until the meat had been generously coated.

7. Chop the onions and the tomatoes to add to the lonche.

8. On one half of the bolilo, add the meat with the chile sauce.

9. Add sour cream, onions, and anything else to your lonche.

10. Enjoy!

It Runs in the Family: How to Teach Our Children About Sustainability by Elise Morgan

Sustainability is heard quite a lot these days – sustainable lifestyles, sustainable workplace practices and so on. However, it’s much more than a buzz-word. Sustainability and the way we view our world and the resources that support our lives is rooted in environmental quality.

To carry on living healthy and happy lives, we need clean air, non-toxic water and a continuing supply of natural resources. Teaching our children how to conserve these resources will affect their lifestyle as adults and prepare them for a changing world.

Below we look at some strategies for teaching children about sustainability that you can do at home.

Why sustainability is important

At its heart, sustainability is about protecting our natural environment so we have a planet that supports our future and that of our children, grandchildren and so on. We may think of it as conserving energy, recycling waste products, consuming less, or protecting fragile environments – it is all of these things and more.

Sustainable practices support and encourage biodiversity, our ecological health and aim to drive technology forward so our quality of life improves too. Creating a sustainable lifestyle and future means learning to live within our means in terms of all the natural resources and processes that sustain life on this planet.

Why we need to teach our children about sustainability

Children learn from everyone around them. Teachers, friends, other families, and babysitters all provide lessons that children take in and process. Parents are usually the greatest influencers. Habits and behaviors displayed at home are most likely to be integrated and repeated in our children’s adult lives.

If we show a concern for our environment, practice green behaviors, and show responsibility for our actions, our children are more likely to do so too. Teaching them sustainability in a way that is simple and easy to understand gives them the opportunity to take responsibility for their actions, plan for their future and create a healthier world to live in.

How to teach our children about sustainability

Teaching children about sustainable practices should be done in an empowering and positive way. This means helping them to be part of the solution, promoting creative thinking and getting them involved in positive change.

Reducing waste is a simple activity to get children involved in. Composting food scraps to reduce food waste is a great way to demonstrate the cyclical nature of sustainable living practices.

Choosing to grow your own food, sorting household garbage so plastics, tin and other materials that can be reused are other activities that establish good behaviors and provide opportunities to talk about the importance of living sustainably.

When you shop, consider purchasing organic produce and items to minimize the chemical load needed to manufacture non-organic items. This could include organic cleaning supplies, PBDE-free furniture, and even all-natural soaps and lotions. Explaining the difference between organic and non-organic items is another great way to highlight what sustainability is for children, and why it is important for our world

Crafting with cereal boxes and household junk, making your own paper, and simply planting a tree are all activities that can raise the profile of sustainability in your child’s eyes. For older children conducting an air pollution experiment, making seed bombs to take on a nature walk or creating a mini greenhouse are positive and empowering ways to bring sustainable and environmental practices to life.

All of us are responsible for the ecosystem we live within.

Building an understanding of what sustainability is for our children and why it is important for all of us, is simply another way to protect our futures and create a healthier planet.

By Elise Morgan

Love #SlowFish? We are looking for a Seafood Liaison!

Slow Food Urban San Diego is looking for a #SlowFish Co-Chair!

The Seafood Liaison works to connect the San Diego community with local seafood producers, particularly San Diego’s fishing community and aquaculturists.

The position requires close communication and coordination with the local fishing and aquaculture communities to understand their needs, and recommend strategies for the Chapter to advocate for and support seafood producers.

To apply for the position, please fill out our Google Form here.

SDSpeaks: Q&A with Janelle Manzano, San Diego Unified Farm to School Specialist

Janelle Manzano

San Diego Unified Farm to School Specialist

Hi there! Okay, first & foremost, let’s start with your story. What do you do and how did you get there?

Hi! My name is Janelle Manzano. I come from the Bay Area and just moved to San Diego last summer. I moved here for my job - I work with San Diego Unified Schools as the Farm to School Program Specialist in the Food and Nutrition Department.

I’ve always been interested in food. There’s this Filipino Folk Song my dad and I would sing in the kitchen while I helped him cook. The song is called “Bahay Kubo.” It sings about a small island hut with a garden that grows all the essential Filipino crops such as garlic, ginger, eggplant, bitter melon, peanuts and more. Then we’d go to the grocery market and he would tell me the different ways each fruit and vegetable can help me be healthy.

Pinakbet: Filipino tomato based dish which consists of okra, bitter melon, and calabasa squash.

Flash forward to college - I decided to study nutrition. I received my B.S in Clinical Nutrition from UC Davis in 2017. While I studied how foods interact with our bodies health, I was also exposed to how food is grown. (UCD is a very ag-oriented school.) I was drawn by the fields, orchards, and gardens that surrounded my university. I even participated in an internship called “Kids in the Garden” which truly began my interest in preventive health through educating young students. We invited students throughout the county to come visit UCD’s educational garden. I not only got teach about nutrition, but also how to plant seeds so that they can grow healthy food on their own.

I gained this newfound interest of educating communities about food and farming. So, after graduation, I signed up to do a service year with FoodCorps. FoodCorps is branch of AmeriCorps that focuses on nutrition and garden education. I served in Oakland, CA for one year being an educator and managing two school gardens.

Now, I feel so humbled and lucky to be where I am today. I have connected with such supportive people in my work teams, with other fellow garden/health educators, and the different communities throughout the city.

What has been your greatest accomplishment so far in your journey?

Not so much as my greatest accomplishment, but one of my most favorite memories that reminds me why I do what I do is something that happened during my second week at one of my schools in Oakland during my service year. There was this first grader who claimed he was always hungry and constantly looking for a snack. He’d come to the garden and look for something to eat. He tried fresh out-of-the-ground radishes and snap peas off the vine; both for the first time. Radishes he didn’t like so much, but the snap peas he loved. One day I brought him a peach as a treat because he had mentioned he never had one. He took the fruit in both hands and took a big, adventurous bite. Juice was coming out of his mouth and his eyes looked up at me with delight. Watching him try all these new fruits and vegetables and experiencing it with him is one of the best accomplishments for me.

Have you had to overcome any roadblocks along the way?

Probably the biggest roadblock I have encountered is the quick ability to feel “at home” in a new place. Again, I’ve went from my university’s small-town of Davis, to the urban city of Oakland, and now I’m here serving the large sprawl of San Diego. I have found that the first year of being at any of these places were and have been tough transitions.

Restarting again this past year, has honestly been both great and but at times lonely as well - which is difficult when you work with such a large amount of the community! Head strong, I know it will take time, it always does. I do have to say though, that I am glad to have encountered SlowFood for helping me boost this journey of like-minded foodies in this awesome city.

SlowFood strives for “Good. Clean. Fair.” foods. Why are these things important to you? Or choose one that is the most important for you.

I’d say Good food is the most important to me. I believe so much that there there is an art in cooking and in eating together with others. Cooking, because of the diversity of flavors and cultures - all fusing together to excite your taste buds. Then there’s the sense of kinship of sharing a meal together that makes the moment more memorable and at times even more delicious. Right now, my favorite thing is practicing how to cook mom and dad’s Filipino dishes, then introducing and sharing the dishes with friends.

Choose one of our SlowFood Urban San Diego Pillars (Engage. Enrich. Empower.) that your work relates to the most and why.

I believe my work right now most relates to the pillar of Engagement. One of the main things I do is nutrition education with students. My biggest goal when I teach is to just get students interested and more appreciative of food. San Diego Unified is a leader in Farm to School programming in the whole nation. As awesome as that sounds, our students don’t realize that we consistently serve them local, seasonal produce every day or that we try to meet their trends such as putting chicken and waffles or even a “build-your-own” ramen bar on the menu.

Through engaging them in the conversation, I hope that I am planting the seeds of curiosity that will one day lead to them asking more questions about the relationship between food and health. Or even just encouraging them to try the new food items we have in the cafeteria!

To learn more about San Diego Unified’s Farm to School program check out our social media pages @sdfarmtoschool. (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)

Slow Fish 2019: A Walk Through an Italian Port City

Slow Fish 2019:

A Walk through an Italian Port City

Recap by Jordyn Kastlunger, Slow Fish Co-Chair

Europe was always a place that I envisioned but never imagined I would be fortunate enough to visit. The eight days that I was lucky enough to spend there were nowhere near long enough, but I enjoyed every second of it. My involvement with Slow Food Urban San Diego began a few years ago when they became involved in Tuna Harbor Dockside Market, which I have been a part of since its conception in 2015. Slow Food sponsored me on a scholarship to Slow Fish 2018 in San Francisco, where I represented and spoke on behalf of the market and the fishermen. I also talked about the importance of knowing your fish source in terms of seafood traceability.

This year when the opportunity arose to attend Slow Fish 2019, I jumped at the chance. This year the event would take place in Genoa, Italy, and that was all that it took for me to make my way across the globe. I was beyond excited to make my way to another coast to experience and learn more about what I am passionate about…fishing.

“I quickly learned that the fishing scene in Italy is very different to what we are used to here in San Diego.”

We are fortunate to be able to source direct from the fishermen whenever we want; in Italy, for most cities, their seafood is filtered through Milan before it reaches the consumer. I found this surprising given that Genoa is a port city. At the “Which Fish to Pick” speech that I attended, I was pleasantly surprised to hear the guest chef and fish monger that was speaking talk about the importance of knowing and trusting your source. He also mentioned seasonal availability and willingness to try new species if something is not in season.

Being a world apart, we do share some similarities with Genoa. We have many of the same fishing practices, including trap fisheries and net fishing. Both cities also see highly migratory species like swordfish and tuna. I was surprised to hear some attendees ask what I thought were common knowledge questions, like how to store fish if you don’t eat it right away, and how long fresh fish would last.

“The main focus of many of the booths and vendors at the event was on anchovies and mackerel. Again, this surprised me because being the daughter of a lifetime fishermen, I was brought up on the idea that both of these were nothing more than bait fish. In Italy, they were considered a delicacy and people loved eating them. With the few that I tried, I cannot say that I was completely sold on the idea or taste of these two fish.”

During my down time, I got to explore more of the Italian coast. I was amazed by the views, the history and the food that I experienced. Italy was everything I had imagined a European country to be. I am so grateful to be part of a community that encourages and allows me to follow my passion and experience the fishing community in so many ways.

Join the Slow Food Urban San Diego Team!

Love events and food justice? We are looking for an Events Coordinator and Food Justice Co-Chair to help promote good, clean, fair food throughout San Diego!

Join Our Team!

Events Coordinator

Slow Food Urban San Diego is seeking an organized event planner that is passionate about building community around good, clean & fair food for all. The Coordinator will build and host special programming, seminars, cooking demonstrations, Slow Sips and other events year round.

The Events Coordinator may form a committee and/or coordinate volunteers. Support will be provided by the Membership Chair.

Food Justice Co-Chair

The Food Justice Co-Chair collaborates with San Diego food access/security organizations, environmental and other organizations to promote sustainable agriculture, urban farming and access to good, clean and fair food for all. The Co-Chair oversees the Food Justice Committee, which meets monthly, striving to engage and include Slow Food Urban San Diego’s membership and community members/leaders as much as possible.

To apply for either position, please fill out our Google Form here.

Looking forward to working with you!

The Slow Food Urban San Diego Tribe

Fisherpoetry & The Art of Storytelling

By Nick Mendoza

You’ve probably never heard of the annual FisherPoets Gathering, but this unique event, with community at its heart, has been growing in size and popularity since its founding 20 years ago. Indeed, one might raise an eyebrow at the idea of fishermen and fisherwomen from across the country ascending a stage to perform prose, music, and storytelling for three days, but sink into the essence and quality of what takes place at FisherPoets and you’ll quickly be reminded of something. Fishing, like storytelling, is as old as mankind. Subsequently, this community is very talented at both.

““Fishing, like storytelling, is as old as mankind.””

Held each February in Astoria, Oregon, where the mighty Columbia River meets the even mightier Pacific Ocean, FisherPoets delivers exactly what the name promises—and so much more. Astoria is a picturesque coastal community with a legendary maritime history. A dozen or so venues around the town host each evening’s readings (a bit like SXSW, but also nothing like SXSW). These venues range from cluttered local bars, where rowdy patrons loudly knock their glasses in approval, to a spacious Cannery Museum, to the grand and regal Liberty Theater. All of them fill to capacity for each evening session. The performers and patrons of FisherPoets are as diverse in character as the venues that host them. On stage and in the crowd are the weathered faces and worn XTRATUF boots of fishers who have seen their fair share of rough seas and Alaskan winters.

You also notice the crowd sporting their smart glasses and Patagonia vests, who made the trip out from Portland or Seattle to soak up the essence of FisherPoets. In this way, I feel the event is the best kind of coming-together of community. For many fishers, coastal-dwellers, and Tall Ship sailors that have attended the gathering for decades, this is a chance to share and reconnect with their people. They discuss last season’s catch and predictions for next year, but they also take this time to organize and stand together against existential threats to their livelihoods and the fish they depend on. This year, for example, many attendees wore “No Pebble Mine!” t-shirts and planned action against a proposed mining operation that would threaten one of the most important remaining salmon runs on earth. For the newcomers, lured in by the charm and mystique of this world, it is an opportunity to know your fishermen, and to better understand the lives of hardworking people who bring food to our table—their joys, their emotions, their trials and tribulations.

““It is an opportunity to know your fishermen, and to better understand the lives of hardworking people who bring food to our table—their joys, their emotions, their trials and tribulations.””

The first poem I experienced at FisherPoets, arriving late Friday night, was read by a 20 year old woman from Bristol Bay, AK, born and raised on a salmon Troller. In beautiful prose, her poem described how her fisher-mother “gave her daughters to the sea.” To this day, the hair on my neck still stands on end when I recall the last line of her poem, which asks the question: “Did my mother really give her daughters to the Sea, or did she give the Sea to us?” Those wouldn’t be the last shivers I’d feel that evening. Shortly after, there was a Coast Guard veteran with a 15 minute, heart pounding account of 7-seconds in his helicopter that were almost his last—a close call during the rescue of a cargo ship in a raging gale.

You could have heard a pin—or a fishing hook—drop in the room of 200 patrons as he described the gyrations of his aircraft as its blades skimmed the surface of Force 5 seas, kissing that line at which ‘all is lost’ before miraculously stabilizing, elevating, and ascending to safety. The only thing I could hear was my own elevated heart rate, drumming behind my ears. My emotions would continue to be piqued in three dozen readings and performances I attended over the weekend.

When I take a broader lens in considering why a gathering like FisherPoets is so special and so important, it brings me to a realization. These spaces, where people can come together to share openly, listen patiently, let go cathartically, and empathize thoughtfully, are increasingly rare. It breaks stereotypes, opens hearts, and all at once serves as the cement of a broad fishing community, a foundation for its persistence, and a friendly window in from the outside. There is a lesson for all of us at FisherPoets.

Nick Mendoza is the CEO and Founder of OneForNeptune, which makes healthy, sustainable white fish jerky that is traceable back to the fish, fisher, and fishery where it was caught.

Waste Not, Want Not

by Natalie Nemeth

Wasting food wastes everything. Water, energy, money, land, labor, and love are all expensive resources needed to produce food, yet in the world’s abundance, there is tremendous waste, with one third of the world’s food is wasted. Shockingly, 40% of food produced in the United States is sent straight to landfills.

California is no exception, contributing about 30 million tons of waste each year to its landfills; of which more than 30% is organic, which could be composted or used to produce renewable energy. Greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the decomposition of organic waste in landfills has been identified as a significant source of emissions contributing to global climate change. Food waste has to stop. A more imaginative and sustainable food system allows for every human to be justly fed.

Acting as a vehicle of change, the Resource Management Group, Inc. is a commodities solution company headquartered in San Diego specializing in helping customers reduce their environmental impact by closing the “Grave to Cradle” loop to create a circular economy, with the philosophy of “Recycle First, Landfill Last.”

This year, San Diego has announced a formal launch of massive education and outreach efforts to prepare the county for California’s new recycling law. The mandatory commercial organics recycling law (AB 1826) was signed in 2014 to help achieve California’s aggressive recycling and greenhouse gas emission goals. Beginning in 2016, San Diego set a standard that public entities like schools, hospitals, stores, restaurants, industrial businesses, for-profit and nonprofit organizations, residential units with 5 or more units, and others must recycle their organic waste with full implementation to be realized in 2019. 

RMG offers the only sanitized solution to food waste diversion designed to help businesses comply with (AB) 1826 and recycle the food received according to the EPA Food Recovery Hierarchy – focusing on partnering with local food recovery non-profits and local farms to provide nutrient rich animal feed. Wanting to maintain the integrity of working locally, RMG only distributes their compost to two facilities, a non-profit hog farm in Escondido and AgriService, Inc. in Oceanside. Any additional material is composted into high-quality soil, providing a base for strong plants to capture CO2 from the atmosphere. Working together, everyone from all levels of life can positively contribute to creating a circular economy, ensuring commitment to a more sustainable future.

Change is necessary within all levels of society; from individual through corporate levels to help curate a more sustainable food culture.  Value, integrity, ingenuity and dignity must return to the food value chain. There must be a reduction in food waste, a transformation of unavoidable food waste, turning it into valuable products and active engagement with industry and consumers to change habits and behavior.  

There are ways we can ignite and fuel the fire of change. By remembering simple tricks to find the best life for food, together we can divert massive amounts of food waste. Easy methods include simply eating, storing, sharing and freezing food! When you eat your food, did you think of the most creative way to use all your ingredients? Or even make a checklist before going to the market to prevent buying a surplus of ingredients?

When storing your food, keep all your food labeled and in airtight containers to delay waste of food and to visually remind you of what food you have! Share your food or even make leftovers! If you have excess food, why not share it, whether it be at work, school or home – be a friend.

If you find your food is reaching the end of its shelf life, or you have excess amounts of food, why not freeze it? These are all simple and easy ways to extend the life of food and prevent generation of food waste. Pass these tricks on to help make a circular flow of food!   

So…will you make the promise?