Our Local Food Supply and Clean Water for All--Green Workshop

Dear Neighbor,

How does the food we eat affect our water supply and our planet?  What can we do right here in our own neighborhood to encourage more healthy and sustainable farming practices?  Join us for the latest WHY WATER MATTERS HERE workshop "Bread & Water: Our Local Food Supply and Clean Water for All."  The workshop will be held this Monday, April 13th, 6:30 p.m., at the Loyola Park Fieldhouse, 1230 W. Greenleaf (at the Lake), 2nd Floor.

Mega-farms and their government subsidies, along with a largely meat-based American diet are contributing to many of our personal and societal ills. We'll explore the problems, and get to work on solutions as we look at how urban agriculture, farmers markets, and other solutions provide opportunities for local action and renewed health for our water supply and for our families.

Joining us will be Terra Brockman, founder of The Land Connection.  Terra will talk about why the current way most crops are raised in the U.S. is not sustainable, does not provide us with fresh, nutritious food, nor protect our wetlands, rivers, streams, and lakes.  

Learn how The Land Connection is helping provide a solution by training new Illinois farmers in sustainable practices, working to keep land in agriculture, and providing the new farmers with mentors.  Find out about Community Supported Agriculture and why supporting farmers' markets is a good idea.

We'll also be joined by Brooke Mays of Farm Sanctuary, who will discuss how large industrial farms are destroying our water quality.  Find out how living on a meat-free or meat-reduced diet saves both water and energy.  Learn how consuming more organic foods and supporting local farmers is good for the environment and your own health.

Next we'll bring it home to our own backyards.  Joining us will be Rogers Park resident Spencer Rosenfeld.  Spencer and his dad, Tom, own and operate Earth First Farms, an organic apple orchard in Michigan.  They also raise chickens in their backyard in Rogers Park.  Spencer will provide an overview of the operation of Earth First Farms and the importance of organic farming to our health and the environment.  He'll also talk about their Rogers Park chickens and how raising them has led to a more healthy and sustainable lifestyle for his family.

Finally, Barbara Moore will discuss the effort she's leading to establish in summer, 2010, the Glenwood Sunday Market, an international-style farmers market at Glenwood and Morse in the heart of Rogers Park.  Learn about our Glenwood Sunday Market plans and how you can get involved to make it happen.

We have a full agenda, but we'll also leave plenty of time for questions and discussion.

Please join us on Monday!

Sincerely,

Joe Moore