RESTRICTING SNAP FOOD PURCHASES WON’T FIX NUTRITION ISSUE

The Agriculture House Committee recently held a public hearing on the pros and cons of restricting how SNAP benefits can be used. This hearing is the latest discussion over the news that people use food stamps to buy junk food, which some see as a flagrant abuse of a government program.  But two sociology professors from North Carolina State University write that trying to restrict what poor people eat ignores the heart of the problem: that many poor families don’t have adequate resources and support. For the past 5 years, they have been studying 124 low-income women, even going to the market with some of them. They found that the women in the study consumed about the same amount of “empty calories” as other women. Where they fell short was for healthy but relatively expensive foods, such as seafood, fresh fruit, and vegetables. This  pattern follows national dietary patterns--although both rich and poor Americans generally have cut down on sugary drinks and are eating more whole grains, poor people fall behind with pricy foods like fresh fruits and nuts.

Source: The Hill, 2/17/17, Restricting SNAP Purchases; USA Today, 2/16/17, Junk Food on SNAP

Third intern for spring semester

New intern Eliza introduces herself...

Hi! My name is Eliza Gillilan I am one of the new student interns this spring. I am currently a sophomore at St. Lawrence majoring in environmental studies and sociology, but I am originally from a mountain town in Montana. Agriculture is Montana’s largest industry and even growing up in a relatively large town, I’ve always held an interest in the farming taking place across the state. My parents’ were key in helping me foster a connection to local food through involvement with our community food co-op and CSA programs. Some of my fondest memories are school trips to local goat farms and learning how to milk a cow on the playground. When I arrived in Canton for school I expected the local food climate to be similar to that I had grown up with because of the sheer amount of farmland I was seeing; however, what I didn’t realize was the privilege associated with being able to make more ecologically and healthful decisions when it comes to buying food.

My first semester at St. Lawrence I took a class called “The Secret Life of Food” in which we discussed everything from the natural history of staple crops to sustainability and food insecurity and injustice. It was in the class where I was exposed to the fact that St. Lawrence county, despite its agricultural outputs, is considered a food desert because so many of its residents live out of reasonable range of a grocery store. We also discussed the fact that buying healthy foods is most often much more expensive option than processed foods, despite the trade off in health benefits. Ideally, everyone would love to feed their family in the healthiest way, and ideally with food that is grown nearby; however, in reality, this food has become a privilege to those who can afford to pay for it. This injustice is what drew me to choose GardenShare as my CBL placement. I think that the organization’s programs in the community to make access to healthy, local food a right rather than a privilege are so important especially in a rural community like Canton because there is the ability to grow food here. I am excited to see and contribute to the great work being done here at Gardenshare in my time here and to further the progress towards the vision of a community where everyone eats in a way that is good themselves and for farmers. 

SAFETY NET’S BIGGEST BENEFICIARIES: WHITE WORKING CLASS

In both percentage terms and absolute numbers, federal safety net programs like SNAP reduced poverty among working-age whites without a college degree more than they did among Hispanics and African Americans with similar educations, and far more than they did among college-educated adults of any race. The number of these working-age whites, in fact, exceeded the combined number of non-college-educated blacks, Hispanics, and members of other races that made such gains. The results underscore the challenge Republicans face reconciling their ideological determination to shrink the federal government with the practical needs of their increasingly working-class coalition.

Source: Atlantic, 2/16/17, Safety Net

National Strawberry Day

New student intern, Eliza Gillilan contributes today's blog entry...

It may seem odd that February would be the month of National Strawberry Day, but with their red color and heart-like shape it may be appropriate that they share the month with Valentine’s Day. Although not in season here in Northern New York, strawberries are an ever-present fixture in grocery stores in the area courtesy of Florida farmers and can be found locally starting in June through July. One of my favorite ways to eat strawberries is in strawberry shortcake, a classic dessert that, in my opinion, is appropriate in any season. Here is a recipe by Mary Nolan over at foodnetwork.com that received some especially good reviews.

What you will need:

               1 1/2 lbs strawberries, stemmed and quartered

                 5 tablespoons sugar

                 2 cups all-purpose flour

                 2 teaspoons baking powder

             1/4 teaspoon baking soda

             2 tablespoons sugar

          3/4 teaspoon salt

             1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Whipped Cream:

                1 1/2 cups heavy cream, chilled

                3 tablespoons sugar

                1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

                1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

Get the directions here

TEENS GO HUNGRY IN FOOD INSECURE FAMILIES

In extremely poor American families, teens go hungry more often than younger children, a new study finds. Parents will first forgo food themselves to feed their kids. But if there still isn't enough food for everyone, younger children take priority over teens, the research shows. The researchers said about 6% of kids who were 11 years old or younger weren't getting enough to eat, and 12% of those aged 12 to 18 regularly went hungry. Of those older children, 14% of boys didn't get enough food, compared to 10% of girls.

Source: UPI, 2/15/17, Hungry Teens

Cabin Fever Trivia Night

Socrates once said, "I know nothing except the fact of my ignorance." It's safe to say Socrates was selling himself short with that statement, and yet how often, when asked to play a trivia game, have you or someone you know backed out with a statement like "Oh, I don't know anything. There are so many people who are smarter than me!" 

Chances are, like Socrates, you are smarter than you give yourself credit for. So don't let lack of confidence stop you from joining us at GardenShare's Cabin Fever Trivia Night on March 18 at the Potsdam Elks Club.

Tony Lynn from THE WOLF 95.3 FM is stepping in again this year as our MC. We'll test your knowledge on local North Country trivia - you got this! You can win prizes! You can enjoy the cash bar! You can go home with bragging rights and the title of "GardenShare's smartest supporter!" But most important, you can have fun with friends and community members while supporting GardenShare. Teams of four can register here or by calling the GardenShare office at 315-261-8054.

So spread the word, sign up soon before the event sells out, and get ready to ring in spring and exercise your brain!

Saturday, March 18, 2017

7:00 PM

Potsdam Elks Club

10 Elm Street, Potsdam

Admission is $20 per person and $10 for students

Proceeds benefit GardenShare

Thank you to our sponsors!

Presenting sponsors:

Partnership sponsor:

Friend Sponsor:

Mort Backus and Sons

New Toolkit to Help Pediatrician's Spot Hunger

Food insecurity is detrimental to children’s health and well-being. Children in food-insecure households are more likely to get sick and be hospitalized than their peers and suffer developmental delays, behavioral problems, and obesity. Pediatricians and other practitioners working with children play a vital role in protecting children and their families from food insecurity and its harmful consequences. To help them, The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Food Research & Action Center have jointly released a new resource: Addressing Food Insecurity. The toolkit provides specific information on how to screen patients for food insecurity; make the appropriate interventions, most commonly by referring patients and their families to the federal nutrition programs: and advocate for greater food security and improved overall health of children and their families.

Source: Food Research & Action Center, 2/9/17, Pediatricians' Toolkit