Resources and information for cancer survivors in the greater New Orleans area.
Tuesday, May 12, 2020
UPDATE on the 2020 Eat Local Challenge
A Letter from the Eat Local Challenge Directors:
Dear Eat Local Challenge Family,
What a whirlwind these last few months have been. By this time of the year, we usually have a booked calendar with over 30 events such as the Garden to Glass Cocktail Competition and Farmers Market Bingo. By this time of the year, restaurants have begun to formulate Eat Local specials to put on the menu. By this time of the year, we are starting to see produce at the farmers markets that reflect what crops will be available during the challenge. But this year has been different from those in the past. This year, we have been on hold with many of our partners to wade out the situation. This year, farmers markets that we depend on have had to pivot and find alternative ways to operate. This year, many local farmers are struggling to keep up with new demand and some are not harvesting at all. This year would have been our 10th anniversary. After evaluating the current circumstances we have come to a decision that is best for our participants and for public health. We have decided to postpone all in-person Eat Local Challenge gatherings this June. This does not mean the Eat Local Challenge has been cancelled. We hope you continue to support local food and farmers, now is a more crucial time than ever. Many restaurants and bars will not be able to bounce back from this and long lines of generations of farmers will come to an end. Continue to support local establishments when you can by purchasing gift cards and merchandise directly from them. Continue to order from local restaurants that are still operating and practice safety precautions in obtaining your food. Continue to support your local farmers by buying from them directly (many are doing delivery drop offs!). We would love to hear feedback on what you hope to gain and would like to see from the June Eat Local Challenge during these times of uncertainty. Would you be interested in instructional videos from local chefs? Online Zoom workshops with local food makers? Gardening tips or farmer Q&A? Online activities and resources for kids? DIY Garden to Glass cocktails? Let us know what you would like to see! We want to bring you what you want and need right now. We will be working hard to bring a robust Eat Local Challenge month soon after things are fully open and we know we can safely bring local food celebrations to you- and what a celebration it will be! As we move through this time of uncertainty, the food systems leaders in New Orleans are working hard to provide the community with comprehensive up-to-date resources.
We look forward to gathering with you all again,
Brynn Comeaux Hutzler and Elisa Muñoz Miller
Are you a chef or cook that wants to share a virtual demo or workshop? A bartender that can show us how to make a tasty garden to glass cocktail? Maybe a home baker or a jam maker? A farmer or gardener that can whip our beds into shape? We want to hear from you! Reach out to us or share this with someone you may know about hosting a video workshop to help keep the spirit of the challenge going!
“Our annual Garden to Glass Cocktail Contest is one of the most beloved events of the year for participants and organizers alike." Read more about the evolution of the Garden to Glass Cocktail Competition (a partnership between the American Sector/The National World War II Museum and the Eat Local Challenge) and revisit some winners and favorites throughout the years by clicking here.
Times are tough and the Eat Local Challenge has also been affected by the impact of Covid-19. We need your support to continue to raise awareness for local food in this crucial time. Please consider making a donation of any amount to the Eat Local Challenge to help offset costs so that we can continue to advocate for local food and farmers. Click the box above and please share!
Feed the Secondline is a project of the Krewe of Red Beans (501(c)(3)) that is a follow up to the krewe's Feed the Frontlines initiative. This project aims to keep New Orleans' local restaurants and farm-to-table networks open for business while supporting the people who make New Orleans great: culture bearers, social aid and pleasure clubs, musicians, Mardi Gras Indians and other culture figures in New Orleans
We've posted LSU Ag Center's Harvest of the Month coloring sheets for you to print out and enjoy! View the coloring sheets here.
The Eat Local Challenge is a program of the New Orleans Food Policy Advisory Committee. NOLA FPAC is a broad-based coalition of organizations, businesses and individuals shaping public policy to improve equity, opportunity, and collaboration in our local food system.
Click here to join the NOLA FPAC bimonthly newsletter to stay up to date on happenings, policy alerts, and more!
Has the Eat Local Challenge had a profound impact on the way you view the local food system? Maybe it's changed the way you make conscious food purchases or informed you about a farmer or market you didn't know prior?
We want to hear from you!
Send us an email including your business/your name and let us know how the challenge has helped you and we'll include it in the Reviews and Impact section on our website!
Got a great local recipe? Share it with us for inclusion in our newsletter, facebook page, or on the website!
Tip of the day:Buy directly from farmers. Right now everyone is feeling a hard hit and farming is definitely one of the industries hit the hardest. Follow local farmeers on social media to see where they are popping up these days and continue to support the folks that make our local food system great. Need help finding local produce? Reach out to us.
No comments:
Post a Comment