Oct 2, 2017
Food, environment and human health, local economy and resilient communities
By Elena Karoulina
Executive Director of Sustainable Solano
Image from Pixabay
When was the last time you had Solano-grown produce on your dinner table? The most possible answer is ‘never’, unless you grow your own food in your garden or your backyard food forest. It’s a very unusual situation for a Bay Area county that is still largely agrarian, at least in the land use patterns.
Sustainable Solano is embarking on a new project to bring more local food to our communities and to connect our local farmers, chefs, and residents with the gifts of our land and with each other.
At the very end of September we received great news from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA): our proposal to further our vision by developing a business plan for Solano Community Food Centers was selected for funding! Annually, USDA funds about 14% of grant applications for local food projects, and we are honored to earn support on a federal level.
What is a Community Food Center? It is a hub for local food activities: CSAs deliveries, cooking classes, community education, and large kitchens where chefs and community members can cook wholesome nutritious meals. Larger Community Food Centers can include a food co-op.
Although Solano County produces close to $354 million worth of agricultural products and exports these products to more than 40 countries, only a fraction of that amount remains in the county due to weak distribution system, lack of sales outlets and somewhat low interest in local food. You can hardly find any Solano-grown products in our farmer markets, stores and restaurants. Small farmers struggle to hold on to their land and to connect with local customers.
Where do we buy local food? People who can afford it obtain their local ag products in the markets outside our county: Napa, Sonoma, Berkeley (thus spending local money outside our local communities). Some cities in Solano are blessed with Community Supported Agriculture, but not many people know about this option and take advantage of it. People with low means have to go without local fresh food at all. Solano is a county of commuters, and unfortunately, the only option available for families on a go is fast-food restaurants and convenience stores (you cannot find local food there!).
We pay dearly for this lack of access to local food with our health: Solano County is among the sickest counties in the nation. Obesity, diabetes, heart disease rates are above national average in our home county.
Food, human health, the environment and local economies are all interconnected; by creating a network of city-based Community Food Centers, there is potential to re-envision and re-construct Solano County’s food system so that it works for everyone in the local food supply chain.
Sustainable Solano has partnered with researchers at UC Davis, Solano County Department of Agriculture and Department of Public Health to conduct a feasibility study, develop an effective business plan, and outline implementation for local food businesses that aggregate, process and distribute locally-produced, healthy food products. Our big vision is the environmentally and economically sustainable, equitable local food systems in Solano County.
We are looking for urban and rural farmers, chefs and local food activists interested to implement this vision. We’d love to hear from you with your comments, suggestions, reflections, and offers to help. Please email directly to me at elena@sustainablesolano.org
Let’s make it happen! I am looking forward to meet all of you at the official launch of the program on Wednesday, October 25, at 7 pm, at Benicia’s Heritage Presbyterian Church (doors open at 6 pm). Please join our Advisory Board members Dr. Feenstra and Dr. Campbell in the conversation about the future of food and why local resilient food system is so important. Come meet the project team and all of us interested to bring this vision to reality.
Sep 5, 2017
Greg Morrison, Paula Schnese, Ana Acosta and Wolf Hagar travel to Sacramento to file CCFC’s articles of incorporation with our Secretary of State.
Big news! Cultivate Community Food Cooperative, Inc. celebrates becoming an official business entity in the State of California! Cultivate Community Food Co-op (CCFC) is working to establish Solano County’s first community-owned, natural grocery store- a one-stop, brick and mortar grocer dedicated to providing high quality, locally sourced, culturally relevant, ethically produced and affordable products for a more sustainable local economy.
This summer, four members of CCFC’s steering team including Founder Paula Schnese, Wolf Hagar, Ana Acosta, and Greg Morrison traveled to the office of the Secretary of State in Sacramento to file Cultivate Community Food Cooperative, Inc.’s Articles of Incorporation, mandatory in the state to enable a cooperative to operate as a legal entity.
Everyone is invited to attend the “Incorporation Celebration” event on Friday, September 8th from 7:00p-9:00p in the back room of the Rellik Tavern on First St. in Benicia to share in a toast of champagne (or a cup of tea) to celebrate this huge community milestone. Bring your wallets as this will be the first opportunity to buy in on Owner Shares! Be one of the first 100 owners and you will receive a special ‘Thank You’ gift from CCFC!
Jul 31, 2017
A sample of produce and seafood available from CSAs that deliver to Solano County.
Nothing compares to biting into a fresh-off-the-vine summer tomato or enjoying a slice of pie made with apples right from the tree. There is no debate that fresh-picked produce is superior in taste compared to the chain supermarket equals that are on display under bright lights, losing flavor by the minute. Fortunately, Solano County is surrounded by agriculturally-rich land and offers many options for getting fresher, more nutritious foods on to your dinner plates.
If you are limited on growing space you can join your local community garden or community orchard and enjoy the fruits of your own labor- literally. Farmers’ markets fill downtown areas every year with foods produced by local growers and are a great way to support and honor the hard work of small-scale farmers.
Not everyone, however, has the capacity or time to invest in growing their food or making it down on market days to shop for the week. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) allows you to conveniently receive farm fresh foods, often harvested within 24 hours, delivered directly to your home or you may pick up your box at a drop location right your own city. When you join a CSA, you commit to buying a share of the seasonal harvest up front and receive a weekly delivery of fresh produce, meats, dairy and other specialty goods throughout the growing season. CSAs help to strengthen the relationship between the farmers that grow your fruits and vegetables and you.
There are many opportunities to support local producers and growers but still only a small number of Americans are buying food directly from local food avenues. We seem to have lost our connection between the people who grow our food and the land that sustains through chain grocery shopping. By supporting local farmers, you keep your dollars closer to your local food system, helping transform the local economy. The reality is that for every food dollar spent, only 20 cents goes directly back to the farmer who grew the food- the remainder going to transportation. When you buy local, you support a more sustainable and environmentally conscious method of food delivery by eliminating the need for farmers to spend on fuel-guzzling transportation, packaging and energy use for transportation.
Here are only a few benefits to joining a local CSA:
- CSAs produce a much greater variety of produce than what you find at local supermarkets.
- You get exposed to new fruits and vegetables and new ways of cooking. Often included in your box are recipe cards with information for preparing and storing your items as well as nutritional facts.
- You are often getting produce picked within 24 hours of arriving to your doorstep so produce is fresh, ripe, and never frozen for best taste.
- Many CSAs offer farm tours where you can meet the people who grow your food, learn sustainable agriculture and see how your food is grown.
- The money you spend goes right back to the food you eat and into sustaining the operations of the farm you are a member of.
Check out the list of CSA’s that delivery in your area and start receiving nutritious, delicious, farm-fresh foods grow by a local farmer!
| CSA |
Delivery and Drop Locations |
|
| Lockewood Acres
Organic farm providing vegetables, fruit, eggs, meat and honey to Vacaville and surrounding areas. |
Direct farm pick-up or at
Vacaville Farmer’s Market |
|
| Siren Fish Company
Providing sustainably harvested California seafood |
Drop location in Benicia
Drop location in Vallejo. |
|
| Terra Firma Farm
Certified organic year-round vegetables, fruits and nuts grown locally in Solano and Yolo County |
Drop locations in Benicia and Vacaville |
|
| Real Food Bay Area
Providing healthy, nutrient dense, sustainable, fresh and prepared foods. |
Drop location in Benicia |
|
| Eat Well
High-quality, fresh produce, dairy and other specialty goods |
Drop location in Vallejo and Vacaville |
|
| Tara Firma Farm
Pasture raised beef, pork, chicken,lamb, and turkey. Organic fruit, eggs, cheese, and vegetables. |
Offering home delivery anywhere in California!
Drop location in Benicia. |
|
| Azure
Natural and organic food distributer delivering more than 14,000 non-GMO and organic local and non-local products direct to families. |
Drop location in Benicia |
|
