I was very glad I went to From the Farm to Your Fork. The panelists represented a fascinating array of backgrounds, the farmer, the chef, the dietitian, the scientist. Their talks were thought provoking and inspiring.
During the Q&A, it became apparent that I was not alone in wanting to be convinced that small-scale, local farms are better for our health, communities, and environment, with effects from local to global and for people of every demographic. Although the audience was literally a Pollan-waving bunch, (you’ll see) there were undoubtedly a lot of university types. (I mean, it’s Ann Arbor, throw a rock hit a post-doc. At one point I wanted to test that hypothesis, but I couldn’t get it through IRB) I think a lot of people who are sympathetic to this cause crave evidence, research, data. Thoughts?

From the Farm to Your Fork – Why Local Food Can Make Us Healthier, Happier and More Secure
Monday February 18, 2008:
7:00 pm to 8:30 pm –
Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room

The Ann Arbor District Library is bringing together an incredible panel to discuss eating local.

• Alex Young, Chef at Zingerman’s Roadhouse and 2007 James Beard Foundation Nominee for Best Chef : Great Lakes. (No, that’s not him in the picture. That’s the windy city’s molecular gastronomic golden boy, Grant Achatz. Here, here’s Kitchen Chick’s great piece on Chef Alex Young.
• Professor Catherine Badgley. A biologist, she teaches Food, Land and Society at the University of Michigan and lists agriculture and biodiversity among her chief research interests. I can’t wait to see her, she sounds totally awesome.
• Annie Elder & Paul Bantle, local farmers who run a biodynamic farm, which, i think means that the farm is ethical enough to win the approval of Al Gore, Captain Planet and St. Francis of Assisi.
• Ruth Blackburn, a nutritionist who has been working to educate people about food, health and community as a nutrition specialist for the University of Michigan. Here’s an article she wrote for Cooperative Grocer on the importance of co-op staff knowing nutrition.