The Dirt

We are excited to report that this week, three important local food bills passed in the Texas legislature! These bills will directly and indirectly help farmers, food producers, and small businesses to expand and prosper. Below are summaries of each bill as provided by Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance:

HB 970 – Encouraging home-based food production, aka “cottage foods”: Until last year, anyone making and selling any food at all (other than uncut fruits and vegetables) had to do so in a commercial, licensed facility that was subject to regulations designed for large-scale industrial food production. Last session, the Texas Legislature provided that “cottage food producers” could make specific low-risk foods in their homes and sell directly to consumers, up to $50,000 per year, without being regulated by the state and local health departments.

The bill has led to the establishment and growth of numerous small businesses in this state, with no reports of resulting foodborne illness. HB 970 expands the law to include other foods designated as non-potentially hazardous by the FDA. The bill also removes the restriction that the sale has to occur at the person’s home, allowing the seller and buyer to connect at farmers markets, farm stands, and nonprofit community events.

HB 1382 – Making it easier to provide samples at farmers markets and farm stands: Letting potential customers sample food is a great way to increase sales and encourage people to try unusual fruits and vegetables. But current regulations that govern food samplings are based on the conditions in brick-and-mortar facilities and pose unnecessary challenges for farmers and food producers at local farmers’ markets. HB 1382 provides clear, reasonable standards for sampling at farmers’ markets and farm stands. The bill also clarifies the standards for cooking demonstrations at farmers’ markets, and exempts educational cooking demonstrations from permit fees.

HB 1392 – Directing the DSHS to respond to inquiries about the law and its application to specific factual situations: Farmers and small-scale food producers have faced serious problems because of the inability to determine what is actually required under the regulations. When asked, the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) provides little guidance, leaving the producers to decide whether to invest anywhere from several hundred to tens of thousands of dollars and potentially still face fines depending on the department’s discretion. HB 1392 directs DSHS to respond to inquiries about how the law applies to a farmer’s or food producer’s specific facts within 30 days, so that they can comply with the law in good faith.

From our friends at National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition: 

"Both the House and Senate Agriculture Committees amended and passed their draft versions of the 2013 Farm Bill on May 14 and May 15. Next, the full House and Senate will take up these bills for additional debate and amendments. The Senate is up first - they started debating the Senate Agriculture Committee's just-passed 2013 Farm Bill on Monday, May 20 and are still at work on it. 

Sustainable agriculture champions in Congress have introduced several amendments that improve healthy food access, build strong communities, protect natural resources, invest in future farmers, and ensure real reform of commodity payments. These amendments MUST make it into the final version of the farm bill, and we need your voice to help make that happen. 

If you care about getting healthy food to everyone, protecting our natural resources, and supporting the next generation of American farmers, then you'll want to take action on the 2013 Farm Bill this week!"

See the links below for a list of Farm Bill action alerts issued by our partners. Please take action today!

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition: Take Action! 

Food & Water Watch - Tell Your Senators: Fix The Farm Bill!

Food Democracy Now - Stop Monsanto and Support Organic, Sustainable Food!

Farmers' Market Coalition: Farm Bill Update: FMPP 

You may already be aware that the SFC Farmers’ Market Downtown is celebrating its 10th anniversary this Saturday, May 18th! We are so thankful for the past 10 years of local, sustainable food, farmers, volunteers, and wonderful customers who keep coming back to support the markets. To commemorate this special occasion, we asked our community: What’s YOUR market story? Here are some of the responses:

I've been working for Engel Farms for six years, and for about 4-5 years I've been coming to markets, particularly Downtown. I really enjoy the families - little children, infants, families together, it's a good atmosphere for them to come out. The Downtown market is really good. We've got a lot of regular customers who come every week." - Phillip Bayer, Engel Farms

I've been doing the Downtown market for almost five years. What I love about coming to the market is being able to have the direct connection to my customers. It's a well-managed market…the clientele continues to get more diverse, and there's more demand for our produce and eggs. - Chris Olsen, Milagro Farms

I started volunteering at the Market 10 years ago on the opening day, but prior to that I was pleased to be part of planning the year before with Suzanne [Santos] and Karen Enredy (exact name and spelling has escaped me). At that time, I was Director of Visitor Services at the Convention and Visitors Bureau and realized the significant impact that local Farmers’ Markets have on tourism. When the Market opened in Republic Square, Nancy Burns and I were present in the Information Booth on the early shift EVERY SATURDAY for the first year and a half or so! Now we have so many great volunteers that we only go once a month!

One of the joys of volunteering is getting to see and visit with Toni, Janet, Henry and Ann and others who have been faithful patrons of the Market from the beginning and continue to this day! What a privilege to see how far the Sustainable Food Center has come in these 10 years and I thank you for the opportunity to serve. - Barbara Grove

Nearly every single Saturday I meet one of my best friends, Claire at the Farmer's Market - same time, same place. [I'm hesitant to admit] we have somewhat of a routine to the morning which always begins with coffee (1/2 coffee, 1/2 spiced chai to the cup!) We walk a couple loops around the market, initially catching up on the week. I can't remember a time we didn't stop by Cake and Spoon for a scone. (Every single week Claire asks what the different scone flavors are but I have yet to see her purchase anything other than the amazing ginger!) We are usually ready for another cup of coffee by this point and make our way back to Texas Coffee Traders for a refill (minimum of 2 cups per Saturday and I think once or twice we've maxed out at 4...) It is not unusual to find us, at some point, in the line at The Gardener's Feast waiting for a tamale. After several laps and several familiar faces (both human and canine) we always scope out the best looking spinach or beets or tomatoes that week.

So, happy anniversary and thank you SFC Farmer's Market for cultivating a healthy city by strengthening the local food system! And on a more personal level thank you for giving Claire and I the best possible place to enjoy Austin and enjoy each other, week after week. Sustainable food. Sustainable friendship. - Marcee Vest

I've been shopping at the SFC Farmers' Markets for the past couple of years. I love having the opportunity to support local farmers and buy the freshest produce available. Since becoming more involved in the SFC as a volunteer, I've started to look differently at food and the culture surrounding it. Now I try to include more vegetables in my diet and really take notice of where my food is coming from. I feel lucky to live in Austin where I can buy tomatoes at their peak, locally grown greens, farm eggs, and fresh roasted coffee. It's so wonderful to see how the markets have expanded in the past 10 years and how the SFC is striving to make these healthy foods available to more and more people in our community. - Breanna Rollings

My family and I try to go to the farmer's market every weekend - we try to make it a special experience that the children, 4 and 6 years old, always look forward to repeating. They have fun running around the kid-designated building / crafts areas and then picking the fruits and vegetables that look interesting or unusual to them - they are big fans of the multi-colored carrots. We all choose a treat and browse the stalls while listening to local performers. My favorite moment this year happened when we went to the market on a chilly day in December. The musicians were playing Christmas songs and the guest chef demonstration and samples by Chef Josh Watkins from The Carillon were an outstanding Saturday morning indulgence. The band invited children to participate in the songs, and my kids didn't leave the microphone for the next half hour. It was a great combination of local talent, foods, music and family. - Bethlyn Thornton

By Molly Costigan
AmeriCorps VISTA - Community Health Organizer

Sustainable Food Center partners with Marathon Kids to engage with parents, staff, and community members at partner elementary schools and facilitate the formation of wellness teams that participate in health and wellness activities. Wellness teams reach out to SFC for resources and programs, such as healthy cooking classes or school garden trainings. Leaders on the wellness team organize regular meetings and activities, and engage the school community in health and wellness issues.

Norman Elementary parent leader Philimena Dickson, has been involved with Cultivating Healthy Communities for almost three years. Through the wellness team, she has attended SFC’s The Happy Kitchen/La Cocina Alegre® cooking class, Basic Organic Gardening class, and School Garden Leadership Training, and she and her family have helped with the installation and maintenance of a community garden at nearby St. James Episcopal church. She also participates in SFC’s Spread the Harvest program for her own family’s garden.

Why did you get involved with Sustainable Food Center and Marathon Kids?
It was definitely the gardening. We had a garden at our home, and I like gardening and knowing that you get fresh food from the garden and can feed your family well.

It is a struggle because sometimes you have sweets and the sweets are not good for you. Or you want to have something quick so you do not have to cook. But once you decide to train yourself you can see what you need to have energy all day.

What are some of your favorite things to grow?
Kale and tomatoes. I have tomatoes right now, at least three of them, that are ready to go into the ground. I will have to try again with carrots. If I have the right type of lettuce, like romaine, then I grow it too. We have cabbage now, and that is a favorite, and onions are pretty good. I would like to grow red onions.

What are some things that you have done here at the school or the church garden?
I am on the wellness team and get information out to the community and the parents. I am talking to more parents about what we do on the wellness team and what we are here to do for the community.

What are some of the things that you have learned as a wellness team leader?
I have learned more about how to communicate with people. If I learn here, I learn in my personal life, like how to keep the information that I have going and then pass it on or keep it on paper—and also trying to put it into the computer. I am starting to use the computer to keep up with names of wellness team members. It is a learning process and I am learning how to be an organizer. When I started I did not know how; I was shaking in my boots!

Why is this important to you?
Because I see how it helps my family, and we all have a healthier diet now.

By Joy Casnovsky
The Happy Kitchen/La Cocina Alegre® Director

The foundation of The Happy Kitchen/La Cocina Alegre® is the cadre of 40+ trained Facilitators that lead classes and workshops across Austin. These are community members who care deeply about helping others eat healthy and hone their cooking skills and confidence. Even though I adore working at Sustainable Food Center and thoroughly believe in our mission, I still sometimes get stuck in the day-to-day grind of running the Program (yes, I just admitted that!). However, my eyes always light up upon hearing stories first-hand from the Facilitators, like the ones I heard this week. It reminds me of the fantastic work we are doing in the community by cultivating leaders and connecting people to their food.

Ida is currently facilitating a six-week class at the HEB at William Cannon and I-35. As part of our GROW-SHARE-PREPARE model, we always use produce from one of our SFC Farmers’ Market in at least one of the six classes to introduce farmers’ market produce to the participants. Ida went to the SFC Farmers' Mkt -Triangle to buy strawberries and this is what she wrote me about her experience—

I just loved Phil the farmer he was so sweet and kind to me.  He gave me a $19.00 discount since I had bought 16 pints [of strawberries] for the class.  I did some shopping and got 2 more pints for my children.  Then I went back and said Phil you did not charge me right and he said you bought so many I wanted to give you a good deal and he thanked me for being honest.  I thought he did not use a calculator but he is one sharp little old man and he hand-picked all 18 pints to make sure he gave me the best strawberries for the class and they were delicious.  It was my husband’s birthday and I bought a plate full of vegan cupcakes, olive & rosemary bread, wheat bread, and  some Indian food since it was a special day at our home. I was the first customer so I got the best of everything they had.  So I came back with lots of goodies.  So everything went very very well at the farmer’s market. 

Ida eating strawberries from the market

Roseanna is also facilitating a six-week class, but is at the HEB at Rundberg and North Lamar. The six-week model aims to provide a supportive atmosphere for people to make those cooking and dietary changes. This story exemplifies that perfectly!

Tonight the question was asked what they wanted to get out of these next 5 weeks. Almost everyone is having major physical challenges and all of them showed a genuine concern for their overall health and really desired changes. I had some index cards with me and had an idea for this group. I shared with them on how I really applauded their humbleness on what they shared and I wanted them to take it one step further and that was to write down the bullets of what they had shared and tack on there a goal and we would review on the last week. They loved that and I had one come up to me and shared her desire to regain her ability to dream again and set goals for herself so I gave her some tools to help her achieve that. Another came up and really shared some personal info about herself so I made myself her accountability partner if you will for the next 5 weeks. This is a group that really wants it and I am really in a state of expectancy for them.

Roseanna going over The Happy Plate

Overview

Sustainable Food Center (SFC) cultivates a healthy community by strengthening the local food system and improving access to nutritious, affordable food. SFC’s Grow Local program offers the resources and education to enable children and adults in Central Texas to develop skills in organic food production, as well as an understanding of the importance of local food production for the health and well-being of themselves, their families and community, and the environment. We are looking for a dynamic, English-Spanish bilingual, organized individual to coordinate Grow Local’s classes and trainings, manage the Citizen Gardener program, and provide support to new and existing community gardens.

Position Description

The Education & Community Garden Coordinator AmeriCorps*VISTA will oversee administration of Grow Local’s organic food gardening classes and garden leadership trainings, including the Citizen Gardener education and volunteering program. The VISTA will also share responsibility for coordinating SFC’s fiscal sponsorship of community gardens and offering support to new and existing community gardens in the Austin area. Additionally, the VISTA will help enhance and expand Grow Local’s class and outreach materials to make them more culturally relevant and appropriate for recent-immigrant and/or low-income Austin residents.

Key Responsibilities

• Coordinate scheduling and logistics for Basic Organic Gardening, Citizen Gardener, and specialized topic gardening classes and for School and Community Garden Leadership trainings
• Coordinate Basic Organic Gardening and Citizen Gardener teacher trainings
• Oversee and track Citizen Gardener volunteer hours
• Administrate Citizen Gardener Facebook page and newsletter
• Assist with planning and logistics of Citizen Gardener graduation events
• Conduct outreach, material preparation, and follow-up for all Grow Local classes
• Assist with enhancement and expansion of Grow Local class and outreach materials to improve cultural relevance and appropriateness for recent-immigrant and/or low-income Austin residents
• >Revise and update class materials in English and Spanish as needed
• Create and distribute Grow Local Gardening Information email
• Manage SFC community garden sponsorship
• Assist with development and implementation of expanded assistance protocol for community gardens

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Arts or Sciences or appropriate experience
• MUST be bilingual (English/Spanish). Excellent written and oral communication skills in both languages.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team>
• Strong time management and organizational skills with ability to manage multiple projects
• Strong fiscal management skills
• Computer proficiency, including Microsoft Office (proficiency in Adobe InDesign & web application is a plus)
• Knowledge and experience with food gardening, farm-to-school, and healthy cooking preferred
• Ability to work a flexible schedule
• Reliable transportation
• Dedicated team-player who is culturally sensitive
• Dynamic personality with good sense of humor and appreciation for healthy, local food.

Compensation: Sustainable Food Center is an equal opportunity employer; women and people of color are encouraged to apply. This is a full-time (40 hours per week), one-year position. Serving as an AmeriCorps*VISTA member, you are eligible for the following: living allowance of $11,136 per year, health insurance, childcare assistance, professional development opportunities, student loan deferment, assistance with relocation costs, and, upon completion of the program, a choice of a $5,550 education award or a $1,500 cash stipend.

To Apply:

Apply through AmeriCorps website: https://my.americorps.gov/ AND

Email resume, cover letter, three references, and a Spanish/English writing sample (1 page) to Sari Albornoz, Grow Local Director at sari AT sustainablefoodcenter DOT org.

No phone calls, por favor.

Applications accepted until May 20, 2013. Position begins August 13, 2013.

To learn more about Sustainable Food Center, go to: www.sustainablefoodcenter.org. To learn more about VISTA, go to http://www.americorps.gov/about/programs/vista.asp

May 9, 2013

Celebrate the bounty of spring with SFC at our annual fundraiser on the lush grounds of historic Barr Mansion on May 9, 2013. Delight your guests with food by over 25 leading Central Texas chefs dedicated to sourcing locally. Continue reading to view our recently announced list of chefs for Farm to Plate 2013!

2013 FEATURED CHEFS: Jesse Griffiths of Dai Due, Sonya Cote of Hillside Farmacy and The Homegrown Revival, and Andrew Wiseheart of Contigo

Full chef list:

ALSO FEATURING:
• Cocktails by Tipsy Texan
• Beer from Saint Arnold, Independence and Real Ale Brewing Companies
• Tea from The Barefoot Cook and Zhi Tea
• Wine from local wineries

If you’ve been any of the SFC Farmers’ Markets before, you’ve seen our Taste the Place tent. If you’ve read this spotlight before, you know how important our Taste the Place volunteers are to us. This month, I want to highlight Jenny Houghton, one of our SFC Farmers’ Market East Taste volunteers.

Jenny started by doing Taste the Place at our various markets and the moved on to working in the office every week. On Friday mornings she helped pack the “bins” or all of the supplies that go to Taste the Place every week and very quickly she joined the permanent Taste crew at the Tuesday market. Every other week Jenny holds down the fort at the newest SFC market. Since the location move from the YMCA to the MLK Lite Rail stop, Jenny has taken on a new role. She volunteers at the Taste the Place tent EVERY week, and trains our newest Taste crew in order to ensure that we always have well-trained and reliable volunteers at the taste tent. When asked what makes her volunteer for this shift over and over again, Jenny tells me: “I have found that volunteering for Taste the Place is a wonderful way to engage with the community about the delicious local food we have available to us in the Austin area. I love talking to people about fruits and vegetables they've never seen before; I have seen both adults and children discover favorite foods they never knew existed before coming to Taste the Place! The tasting booth encourages an important dialogue about our local food system and the health of our city.”

Working on Tuesdays specifically seems to be close to Jenny’s heart. She understands and recognizes the Eastside needs and why the SFC Farmers’ Market East is so important, “Each week, shoppers tell us how happy they are that a market has finally come to their neighborhood. I think it's particularly important that this market allows shoppers to use their SNAP and WIC benefits to purchase fresh foods. Good nutrition is something that should be available to everyone, and the SFC East market is helping us move in that direction.” We agree Jenny and I can’t think of anyone better to represent us week after week.

It’s obvious that Jenny is passionate about food and community. But what’s her favorite part of it all? “Volunteering with Taste in one of the highlights of my week. There's nothing like watching a 3-year-old's face light up as she sinks her teeth into a fresh slice of watermelon! Since starting with the market last March, I've gotten to know the farmers, the SFC staff, and many of the shoppers who frequent the market. I love getting to interact with our community while supporting a cause I believe in”.

I asked our farmers, vendors, and staff what they thought of Jenny coming back over and over again and heard the same response from everyone: we all appreciate her infectious smile, her obvious joy at working with everyone, and her amazingly positive attitude. I cannot thank Jenny enough for being so dependable, flexible, and an amazing trainer at the market. She has taken this role on and done more with it than I could have asked.

We’re excited to announce that the Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) is set to begin April 13th!

What is FMNP? FMNP is a program of the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) that allows qualified WIC participants to buy nutritious fresh fruits and vegetables, using FMNP vouchers, from participating farmers’ market associations. Sustainable Food Center (SFC) first contracted with TDA last year, to offer the program in Travis County and is looking forward to continuing the partnership for a second year. Most of all, SFC is excited about partnering with four area farmers’ markets to provide WIC clients with more access to locally grown nutritious fresh fruits and vegetables.

How Does FMNP Work?

Beginning April 13th through September 30th, qualified WIC participants can visit a SFC Farmers’ Market to pick up their FMNP vouchers. FMNP Market staff will be distributing vouchers at all four of the SFC Farmers’ Market on a weekly basis. FMNP vouchers can be spent on fruits and vegetables at all four of the SFC Farmers’ Markets. In addition, WIC clients can also spend their vouchers at:

• HOPE Farmers Market
• Cedar Park Farmers’ Market
• Mueller Farmers’ Market
• Pflugerville Pfarmers Market
• Lone Star Farmers Market
• Green Gate Farms

FMNP vouchers are also eligible for the Double Dollar Incentive Program that doubles the value of fruit and vegetable purchases up to $20 every week! The Double Dollar Incentive Program is found only Tuesdays at the SFC Farmers’ Market East and Saturdays at the SFC Farmers’ Market at Sunset Valley.

Be sure to stop by any of the SFC Farmers’ Markets for more information!

Grow Local hosted a very festive spring Spread the Harvest resource give-away day on Tuesday, March 26th, where home, school, and community gardeners picked up seeds, seedlings, and compost to help grow their gardens. Organics by Gosh generously provided the top-notch organic compost, and the beautiful veggie and herb seedlings were expertly grown by Gabriel Valley Farms. Through Spread the Harvest, gardeners can receive resources for growing their own fresh, healthy food, and they’re also encouraged to share their extra produce with friends, family, neighbors, and food pantries. Grow Local also debuted our new SFC Garden signs at the give-away!

We’re thrilled to offer these bright, colorful signs to all home, school, and community gardens that we partner with in Austin – contact us or stop by to pick up yours today! We encourage you to post a picture of your sign (see below) to Twitter mentioning @SFClocal and using #growlocal or on Facebook tagging SFC - thanks for helping to spread the word!