South Jersey gets “FRESH”

FRESHAbout 100 people took a break from Phillies Fever to attend a screening of the film FRESH and stayed for a panel discussion about sustainable food practices.В  This film highlights the differences between food that is produced and processed in an industrial “monoculture” fashion and that from small to medium sized sustainable farms.В  These smaller, family owned and operated farms use sustainable practices, like growing a variety of crops and raising smaller quantities of animals in healthier, more natural settings.В  This results in healthier soil (needing no added fertilizer or chemicals) and healthier livestock (needing no antibiotics or animal byproduct feeds). Other benefits to this type of food production include more ethical treatment of the animals and laborers, a way to save our diminishing family farms and of course, the delicious end result of fresh, local and nutrient rich foods.В  The movie was educational and inspirational as it showed example after example of successful sustainable farming.В  From the midwestern farmer who went cold turkey from his factory hog farm and all the chemicals and waste that went with it to the urban farmer growing fresh, organic fruits and veggies for his underserved neighbors.

The panel, moderated by Sustainable Cherry Hill Executive Director, Lori Braunstein, included Ana Joanes, the film maker, Joe Palombo, Chef/Owner of Mirabella Cafe and Executive Director of the South Jersey Green Restaurant Association, Stacey Keannely of Green Faith and Nati Passow of The Jewish Farm School. Each panelist talked about their inspiration and contribution to the sustainable food movement with the common theme of individual and grassroots action making a real difference in creating a different future.В  The audience asked compelling and often difficult quesions about food choices, the difference between local and organic and recommended other films and books on the subject.В  Most people agreed that our current industrialized food system is unnatural and unhealthy and they seemed to truly be looking for ways to reconnect with the source of the food they eat.

This program, held at the Ritz Theatre in Haddon Township,В  was co-sponsored by Sustainable Cherry Hill and Tuv HaAretz, a local Jewish CSA (community supported agriculture) and was funded in part by The Jewish Community Foundation of Southern New Jersey.

November 1, 2009   Posted in: News, Uncategorized

Leave a Reply
Sustainable Cherry Hill • 405 Country Club Drive • Cherry Hill, NJ 08003

Copyright © www.SustainableCherryHill.org