Courtesy Slow Food USA
Kids and members of Slow Food Westchester in New York “ dig in ” to a garden at Morse School vegetable garden .
What kind of upshot could mobilize thousands of people across the land to fall together for the interest of residential area betterment than the celebration of food ? Last weekend , 180 seedpod of Slow Food supporters come together in a variety of projects to “ break ground and break lettuce ” as part of Slow Food USA ’s Dig In ! campaign .
“ In general , Slow Food USA is about finding joy , pleasance and company in making change in our solid food system , ” says Julia Landau , of Slow Food USA . “ The name of our day of action mechanism truly encompass that — we dig into our work and then stab into our food when we pucker to celebrate . ”
In its first class , Dig In ! was begin as an denotation of Slow Food USA ’s Time for Lunch campaign , urging residential district member to write to their congressmen about better the National School Lunch Program , says Landau . It highlights the community events already train place across the country on a daily basis .
“ People are making change every day in their communities , working toward a better food organisation . They work in their gardens , theirfarmers ’ markets , their residential district eye — and they bring dedication and visual sensation to these projects . Dig In ! is a day to sync up all of that great action and pick out its force , ” Landau says .
Urban Barn Raising – Brooklyn, N.Y.
In a section of Brooklyn , N.Y. , predicate a “ food desert , ” member of Slow Food NYC kick off the Ujima Community Garden with an urban b - farm task . The garden , which broke ground in spring 2010 , will be the site of programming to civilise urban youthfulness about agriculture , gardening and healthy nutrient , run by Slow Food NYC unpaid worker .
“ This retiring summer , we ’ve had a chance to collaborate with various youth and mediate - schoolers through affiliate organizations and have witnessed first - mitt the shaver ’s excitement in learning , preparing and consuming good food for thought , ” says Ramona Xu , of Slow Food NYC .
During the urban barn raising , volunteers finished harvesting the garden ’ summer green groceries , weeded and turned over soil , participate in a mural painted , andbuilt a compost bin , come after , of course , by a potluck dinner .
Plant Distribution – Chicago
Taking a more or less different twist on the call to poke In ! , Chicagoans banded together in a enceinte - scale garden - planting project . In its tenth twelvemonth , the Great Perennial Divide mobilize greenhouse and members of the community to donate more than 6,000 perennial industrial plant , which were distributed to 200 school and community garden groups .
Prepping Gardens – Washington, D.C.
Of naturally , a national Dig In ! event would n’t be complete without involution from occupant in the capital metropolis . Slow Food DC paired with the Neighborhood Farm Initiative to spread cover crop seed , weed urban garden , and sift and move compost .
“ In several ways , the whole idea of the urban garden is creating an chance for people to be in contact with the source of food that is not often readily available to urbanites , ” says Kathryn Warnes , a Slow Food DC board fellow member .
The Neighborhood Farm Initiative aims to provide hand - on training in vegetable gardening to volunteers and youth , as well as advise teen on obtain unripened job skills .
“ The response has been really positive and , I cogitate , a unspoiled way to meet other people in the community of interests who are interested in the values of Slow Food , ” she says .
Keep on Diggin’
Although Dig In ! events take position over only one weekend , their spirit can go on throughout the year . Landau says the first footstep is to take after up with volunteers immediately after your Dig In ! case with a thank you remark or photos from the day ’s activity . Then offer them more volunteer opportunities throughout the year .
“ After having a enceinte employment day or get - together , it ’s important to be able-bodied to accompany up with a good continuation of the undertaking or a new fashion to plug in , ” she says . “ This direction , the vigor from Dig In ! ( or any Tennessean task ) has an sales outlet afterwards on . ”
Slow Food USA is also encourage increment of its movement by tender discounted rank rates through Oct. 15 , 2010 . To get rank details or to read about other Dig In ! issue , visitSlowFoodUSA.org .
