469: Francey Slater on Urban Ag and Food Justice.
Creating resilience in an urban community.
In This Podcast:
It was after spending some time out of the country that Francey Slater woke to the poor American relationship with food. This motivated her towards food justice and making a difference in her community. With a belief that healthy food is a right for everyone, she co-founded a non-profit that is creating community and school gardens, and building a stronger, resilient community as a result.
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Our Guest:

Listen in and learn about:
-
- She grew up a city kid and did not become interested until college
- Wanting to know more about growing food after spending time in kitchen
- A common history with people growing up in the city and choosing a path to ag
- The Standard American Diet (SAD) and what she learned about it
- Her time abroad where she was awakened to relationship food
- No one wakes up in the morning saying ‘I want to eat crappy food, feel bad, and get sick’”
- A global study is showing a leading cause of death is due to poor diet
- Food choice is being made by people outside of the community
- Solving the problems for food choice IN COMMUNITY is better
- Defining food justice and how healthy food is a right that everyone should have
- The movement behind urban agriculture
- Reconnecting city dwellers to an ability to grow their own food
- The genesis of non-profit organization Mill City Grows co-founded with Lydia Sisson
- Struggling to find a community garden plot
- Finding contamination in her soil and needing to bring in healthy soil
- Some key facts about Lowell, MA
- Starting by talking to anyone who would listen to their idea
- Helping a community make an investment in a community garden and seeing the community change
- Mills City Grows now has 7 community gardens, 13 school gardens, and 3 urban farms that distribute food around the community
- The farm share program that is making a difference
- Some epic stories with kids in the garden
- The differences they see with kids succeeding in school because of the garden programs
As well as:
Her failure – A fast tracked garden project that did not start with community support
Her success – Being part of building a community around a collective vision
Her drive – Being part of something bigger than my self
Her advice – Dig in, grow something, and share it
Francey’s Book recommendations:
The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan
Whatever It Takes: Geoffrey Canada’s Quest to Change Harlem and America by Geoffrey Canada
How to reach Francey
Website: millcitygrows.org
Email: francey@millcitygrows.org
UrbanFarm.org/millcitygrows