Growing Healthy and Sustainable Food in Your Local Community

The University of Wisconsin-Fond du Lac is hosting Will Allen, leader of the urban farming movement and author of “The Good Food Revolution,” for a presentation on Growing Healthy and Sustainable Food in Your Local Community at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 13 in the Prairie Theater, 400 University Dr.

Allen is an urban farmer who is transforming the cultivation, production and delivery of healthy foods to under-served urban populations. He is recognized as a national leader in urban agriculture and food policy and is a recipient of the MacArthur Genius Grant. After a brief career in professional basketball and a number of years in corporate marketing, Allen returned to his roots as a farmer, using his retirement package to purchase a plot of inner-city land with greenhouses, where he established and functions as the CEO of the country’s preeminent urban farm and non-profit organization, Growing Power.  

His presentation is one of three events Nov. 13 and 14 that explore the UW-Fond du Lac campus theme of sustainability. 

Community partners for these events are:

• Trust Local Foods
• UW-Extension FDL County Master Gardener Volunteers
• Marian University Social Justice Committee
• OCUUF Eco Food Committee

A local Sustainability Fair will be held 11 a.m.-2 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 13 in the University Commons in conjunction with Allen’s presentation. The public is invited to browse and visit with local farmers, vendors and other organizations as they display their products and share information.

Local farmers and producers will discuss the opportunities and challenges of local and organic food production during a panel discussion – From Grandma’s Garden to the Supermarket – 12:30-1:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 14, in the LGI Room (UC113/114). Panelists include Rick Slager, Produce with Purpose; David Schuh, Red Cabin Restaurant; Ryan Prellwitz, Vines and Rushes Winery; and Robyn Calvey, Park Ridge Organics. 

All events are free and open to the public, but pre-registration is requested for vendors participating in the Sustainability Fair. If interested in a booth, please call Kathy Strong Langolf at (920) 929-1138.

Related news: Urban framer Will Allen and UW-Milwaukee team up on research to boost yellow perch production. Associated Press, Oct. 22.

Contact

Laurie Krasin
920-929-1100
fdlinfo@uwc.edu