Hunger 101 at SLU

Yesterday, I presented our Hunger 101 program for a class called "Literary Harvest" at SLU.

Since the students have been doing a lot of reading about food system and hunger issues, it was an engaged and lively group.  But despite their advance knowledge of the topics at hand, they learned a lot, as evidenced by some of the comments that came back on the evaluation forms...

• The most important thing that I learned is that SNAP doesn't provide all that much money.  I think a big misconception is that people try to live off from SNAP, but it's not enough.
• The most important thing I learned is how limited the options are for people to get help.
• It was challenging and eye-opening to try to figure out how to feed two people on $3 a day!
• I really liked how the offices (DSS, food pantry) were not consistently open.  This really shows how inconvenient it can be for people to apply for help.
• Opened my eyes as to how hard it is for low-income people to have access to fresh, quality foods.

And, as I like to remind the students, they got to do all of this by walking around in one classroom.  Imagine how hard it could be when the services are all in different buildings, potentially in different towns.

If you are interested in a Hunger 101 presentation for your group, get in touch!

An intern reflects on her experience

As our interns wrap up their semester with us, Eliza Gillilan reflects on her time with us...

Although my time was limited here at GardenShare, I came away with a deeper insight into food insecurity in the North Country and the creative programs that this great organization utilizes to try and eliminate it. Something I learned in a sociology course this semester is that poverty and hunger systemic problems and utilizing psychological reductionism, which is to blame the victim, is as useless as it is absurd in fixing the problem. Instead, programs like GardenShare are taking initiative in promoting their belief that everyone deserves access to healthy food. 

Something really important that GardenShare does to put hunger issues in perspective is Hunger 101. This is a role-playing activity that allows participants to see the challenge faced by many people to provide healthy food for their families and can help dispel some of the stereotypes and assumptions that some people harbor when it comes to hunger. In addition to this, I learned through GardenShare how many government organizations provide some sort of food benefits for eligible citizens such as Farmers' Market Nutrition Program and SNAP. As important as it is for GardenShare to spread the word about these, they go a step further to provide their own programs such as bonus bucks through the ongoing support of donors and grants that help to supplement government aid and encourage local eating. 

The fact that the programs encourage people to eat locally is equally as important to me. It is one thing to be able to afford the fruits and vegetables available in the grocery store, but local produce can sometimes come with a much steeper price tag. Helping make the farmers market accessible to everyone is a key step in helping local farmers continue their work of providing communities with the freshest food possible. This local food movement is just a byproduct of the mission of tackling hunger that GardenShare harbors, but it can also have positive impacts on the environment because the food does not have to travel as far, and helps keep money in the local economy. What GardenShare is doing is a win for everybody, the citizens of St. Lawrence County, the local economy, and the environment and I hope to see organizations that follow GardenShare’s example become a more widespread presence across the country in the future.

-Eliza

National School Breakfast Week:

            You know those sayings that you’ve heard so many times in your life that they just become ingrained in the back of your mind? For me, the phrase ‘breakfast is the most important meal of the day’ fits into this category. Although I know breakfast is important, I think the phrase has been used so much that many people, including myself, forget just why. With National School Breakfast Week coming up this week, I think it is important to be reminded why breakfast is so valuable to a child’s education.

            According to the USDA, in 2015, over 90,000 schools served school breakfast to 14 million students each day. Out of these 14 million breakfasts, 11 million each day were free breakfasts for students from low-income families. That means that without meal assistance, approximately 11 million students everyday are at risk of going hungry! By feeding students school breakfasts, they are more likely to reach higher levels of achievement in reading and math, have better concentration, participate in class, and retain more of what they learn. Studies also show that offering free school breakfast results in better attendance records. The point is that, the 2.3 billion school breakfasts served annually, many of these free or reduced, greatly help children and especially those from low income families, to have a more equal playing field in life. Hunger reinforces the cycle of poverty. Arriving to school hungry every day prevents students from reaching their potential. By providing breakfast to those who cannot afford it, kids are no longer held back by hunger and are given a fairer chance to be successful in school.

            Knowing the importance of eating breakfast, what are some ways to spread awareness of the value of school breakfasts? Some ideas for this year’s National School Breakfast Week include creating a school breakfast challenge! Students are handed a card at the beginning of the week and receive a hole punch every day they purchase a breakfast item. At the end of the week, students who have 5 hole punches are entered into a raffle! Cards can be downloaded at www.schoolnutrition.org/NSBW. Other ideas include having a school art contest or a classroom photo contest centered on the topic of National School Breakfast Week! Posting pictures online or hanging artwork around the school can help spark dialogue on the importance of school breakfast. For more National School Breakfast Week ideas, visit the School Nutrition Association website at the following link: http://schoolnutrition.org/Meetings/Events/NSBW/2017/getstarted/

-- Jamie Oriol

SLU student and

GardenShare intern

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. 

GardenShare Growing Community Award

Congratulations to the Local Living Venture, the recipient of GardenShare's 2016 Growing Community Award.  Each year GardenShare recognizes an individual or organization whose efforts strengthen food security in northern New York State with the Growing Community Award.  Past recipients have included farmers, food service staff, a food bank, community groups, and others.  Individuals, families, or organizations who are making progress in solving the problem of hunger through policy and advocacy work or by building a stronger food system to better serve all North Country residents may be nominated for this recognition. 

Local Living Venture is a non-profit responsible for spreading knowledge throughout the community regarding affordable and sustainable solutions that local people can implement in their daily lives. They are especially concerned with local food, clean energy, northern forest, green building, simple living and homesteading skills. Through hands-on, learning workshops LLV implements healthy and low-cost living styles for community members as well as strengthening local community ties.  

Jan /Dewaters, left, presents to award to the Local Living Venture team.

In nominating Local Living Venture for this award, GardenShare Board member Jan DeWaters wrote, "Since they first formed out of the North Country Sustainable Energy Fair in 2009, this group has emerged as a leading authority in all-things-back-to-basics. By offering a wide array of educational programming, as well as a number of community gathering events, they are filling a need here for teaching people important, often-forgotten skills our ancestors practiced on a daily basis, and are also bringing people together to join in community as they venture forth with putting their newly-learned skills into practice. To me, this group is a unique and valuable piece of our north country community building effort." 

At the same event, GardenShare honored the St. Lawrence University Environmental Studies Department, who hosted GardenShare's offices from 2009 until 2016.  Without their support, with facilities, services, and many talented interns over the years, GardenShare would not begin to have accomplished all we have in our history.

Gloria McAdam, far right, along with Aviva Gold and Carlene Doane, left,
present a recognition to Carrie Johns, Environmental Studies Department Chair.
Professors David Murphy and Glenn Harris are in the back row.

Than you to everyone who attended and was part of the this event in any way.  More photos can be found here.

Hunger 101

Have you been thinking about bringing a Hunger 101 workshop to your school, place of worship, or other organization?  It's a great tool to learn, experientially, about the issue of hunger.

A sampling of comments from SLU students who recently took part in a Hunger 101 workshop:

• A significantly accurate depiction of the real situation
• I liked how realistic it was with the scenarios given
• It was engaging and thought-provoking.  It put me in the shoes of others and I liked how it opened my eyes to these issues
• We had to slip into another person's shoes - made the exercise quite powerful and personal
• Showed some the realities and frustrations of being poor
• It was a fun activity that shed light on a serious topic!

Summer intern starts

Greetings! My name is Amanda Korb, a rising Junior at St. Lawrence University studying Environmental Studies and English with a minor in Outdoor Studies. I am ecstatic to be interning for GardenShare this summer for ten weeks!

Hailing from a rural town, one mimicking those similar to the North Country, I understand how in a smaller setting there is prospect for connectivity in the community. With that said, to think hunger issues are relevant only in far off places is easy. GardenShare is a concentrated bite of the larger conversation as they connect local farmers to families in the area. In this way, the issues of food insecurity, poverty, and job security are addressed using the unique bonds of the community. Everyone deserves a right to eat healthy nutritious food as well as know where that food originates!

In my spare time, I enjoy digging my toes in rich humus while boogieing to Paul Simon. You can also find me hiking ADK peaks, reading a Jane Austen novel by the river, or cracking corny jokes with my dad- who I strive to emulate each day (I once brought him to show-and-tell in second grade). Hobbies aside, I look forward to studying off the grid in a yurt village on Massawepie Lake this coming fall, exploring the way humans connect to nature and in turn each other. As it rounds lunchtime here at the office, I will unpack the cooler in my car (because my refrigerator is still in storage) filled with cantaloupe, trail mix, a baggie of mixed veggies, fresh blueberries, wilted spinach, a jar of peanut butter and a half gallon of orange juice.

Summer intern joins GardenShare

Her first week on the job and
was a good sport...wearing a
costume for the Dairy Princess Parade!

Name: Liz Hills

Town of residence: Granville, Ohio

Role at GardenShare: Summer Intern

How long? 10 weeks

Why I do what I do: Ensuring that everyone has access to local, healthy food is a passion of mine. Both my parents were raised in the North Country (Canton and Ogdensburg) so this area has always been very special to me. I love being able to help connect the farms/ farmers markets to the people of St. Lawrence County and raise awareness of the benefits of eating locally.

Role outside of GardenShare: I am a rising senior at St. Lawrence University. My major is Environmental Studies combined with Sociology and I am also the president of the SLU chapter of Habitat for Humanity.

Hobbies: In my free time I enjoy outdoor activities such as running and hiking. When I’m not bogged down with homework during the semester I also love reading novels. Currently I’m reading Ishmael by Daniel Quinn.

Favorite song, book, or movie? Song: Oh! Darling by The Beatles. Book: The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien. Movie: City of God.  

If you were a superhero, what would your power be? Teleportation (think jumper)! I would travel all around the world if I could avoid expensive plane tickets!

What one word would you use to describe yourself? Corny

Share something about yourself that few people know. My bellybutton is slightly smaller than normal.

What would I find in your refrigerator right now? A bunch of leftovers and some hummus. 

Farm manager part-time help wanted

St. Lawrence University is looking for someone with organic farming practices experience, preferably a local farmer, who could supervise the student workers and the Sustainability Semester farm on a very part time and temporary basis this summer and possibly into the fall.  The current manager is moving on and SLU needs someone temporarily while they do a search to fill the position with a permanent hire.  More details and how to apply follows: 

Duration: Temporary Position, 10-14 weeks beginning the week of July 1, 2015

Salary: $40/hour

Work Schedule: 6-10 hours per week spread between a minimum of 2 days per week

St. Lawrence University Sustainability Semester is seeking a temporary farm/site manager for its Sustainability Semester site. For more and specific information on the Sustainability Semester, please go to http://www.stlawu.edu/academics/experience/sustainability-semester.

Qualifications:

·         Experience managing a vegetable farm employing organic practices

·         Experience raising chickens

·         Experience with and ability to use farm equipment and machinery

·         Experience managing/teaching/supervising undergraduate students

·         Must live locally (within one hour drive to the site)

·         Ability to lift at least 50 pounds and engage in the physical activity of garden maintenance and harvest

Duties:

·         Oversee the maintenance and harvest of the Sustainability Semester gardens/orchard and site including chickens through supervision of student interns and workers providing assistance (including some physical labor) as needed. This includes maintaining the summer work plan and schedule (created by the previous Homesteader-In-Residence) for the summer and creating a work plan and schedule for fall harvest as needed.

·         Must be physically present on site a minimum of 6 hours a week spread between a minimum of 2 days per week

·         Supervision of student interns June-August includes weekly one on one meetings with each student 

·         Good communication including a minimum of every other week meetings with the Director of the Sustainability Semester and weekly check-ins with the student manager

·         Willingness to be on call daily in case of a crop/site/animal emergency

Interested applicants must apply online at http://employment.stlawu.edu uploading required materials which are defined in the “special instructions to applicant” section.  Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.  Questions about the position may be directed to Dr. Cathy Shrady, Director of the Outdoor Program, at cshrady@stlawu.edu.

All offers of employment are contingent upon the finalist successfully passing a background (including criminal records) check.

St. Lawrence University is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  For additional information about St. Lawrence, please visit http://www.stlawu.edu.

Growing up in the early years of the Amish arrival

When I was growing up, the Amish were just starting to move into the region.  Some people weren't too sure what to think of these new neighbors.

One day, my dad, who worked for the railroad at the Gouverneur depot, came home all upset.  An Amish family had been stranded in a boxcar with their animals on a siding in DeKalb Junction due to some error on the railroad's part.  They had run out of food and the train crews had been sharing their lunches with them.

While he had helped resolve the situation and get them on their way to their new home near Heuvelton, he wanted to do something more to help.

Since we had about half an acre in garden, he had us pack up a couple of bushel baskets of produce and we set off to find these new arrivals to the North Country.

When we did find them, the scene was chaotic - men and boys getting animals and farm equipment situated, women and girls getting household goods into the house.  We approached with our gifts and one of the women came forward, but she did not speak English.  A young girl of about ten translated for us.

I was about thirteen at the time and the whole thing made me a feel little shy and uncomfortable.  But I watched my dad who was not bothered at all by the chaos or the language barrier as he carried on a lovely conversation with the lady of the house.

Of the many lessons I learned from my dad, that one has stuck with me to this day.  It doesn't matter that someone looks different, dresses different, doesn't speak our language - if there is something they need and I can help, I should and I will.

Gloria

Thoughts on St. Lawrence

As I continue my "Season of Lasts" in the world of food banking, I'm at my last Feeding America meeting, but glad I got to come to this one since it's in New Orleans.

I've shared some thoughts with my peers about succession planning and how to help their organizations think through planning for an expected or unexpected leadership change.  I've also been picking the brains of the New York state food bank folks about what's happening in New York to start getting up to speed before I head up to Canton next week.  My biggest shock though was learning that one downstate food bank director doesn't even know where the St. Lawrence River is, much less St. Lawrence County!  (Don't they teach geography any more?  I consider it one of the greatest and most beautiful rivers of the world, right up there with the mighty Mississippi and the Nile, both of which I have also cruised on.  How could you live in New York and have never heard of it?  Okay, end of rant!).

But it's New Orleans, so free time has been spent having some fun and little did I know, as a St. Lawrence University grad, class of 1979, that in New Orleans, St. Lawrence is a bar!

Snapped the photo, but didn't go in, I swear!

Gloria