Food Tank, in partnership with the George Washington University, is hosting the 1st Annual Food Tank Summit in Washington D.C. on January 21-22, 2015.
This two-day event will feature more than 75 different speakers from the food and agriculture field. Researchers, farmers, chefs, policy makers, government officials, and students will come together for panels on topics including food waste, urban agriculture, family farmers, farm workers, and more.
Food Tank recently had the opportunity to speak with Morgan Morris, Partner and Installation Manager at Love and Carrots, who will be speaking at the summit.
Food Tank (FT): What will your message be at the Food Tank Summit?
Morgan Morris (MM): Love & Carrots’ goal is to educate folks on both the beautiful, bountiful possibilities of a home garden, and the true value and impact of growing your own food–economically, ecologically, and socially. There is a lot of urban sunshine that can be converted to healthy lifestyles and healthy food.
(FT): How are you contributing to building a better food system?
(MM): Our services empower people to grow food right in their community. We use ecologically conscious gardening methods and beautiful, thoughtfully designed native plantscapes to reinvent modern ideas of urban landscaping. Our Urban Farmers teach gardening skills to diverse audiences: From school children, to policy makers on the Hill; All have gotten their hands dirty for the first time with us– we strive to positively impact perspectives on what food means and how one might interact with it.
We provide jobs and further education to the new generation of farmers and urban growers– ensuring that Farming as an occupation grows more viable with every client that learns the true value of growing food.
(FT): Who is your food hero and why?
(MM): My personal food heroes are Chip and Susan Plank, my first bosses at Wheat Land Vegetable Farm in Purcellville, Virginia. I was lucky enough to work for them directly after high school and it was an eye opening experience. They gave me my first taste of sustainable food production and I fell in love with it–from the endless days of harvesting tomatoes and long market days in downtown DC selling veggies. The Planks had been sustainable farming and marketing vegetables in the dc area sense the mid 70’s with incredible success, they demonstrated a true agriculture work ethic and the joy it can bring. I have strayed far from the farm; however, I still find the same simple joys in my work that I experienced there.
(FT): In 140 characters or less what is the most important thing we can all do to help change the food system?
(MM): Grow Food. Educate. Eat wisely.
The food we put on our plate and into our bodies is a daily decision. These decisions happen 3 times a day, 21 times a week, over 1,092 times a year. These decisions have a ripple effect that impacts the entire globe. We should make it a wise decision. There is no comparison to hands-on experience actually being a part of the food system when teaching the value, impact, and appreciation of each bite we take. Plant a garden. Get involved with growing food! Each vegetable garden grown re-connects folks to agriculture, first-hand something that has all but disappeared for the last few generations. Hopefully this re-connection will impact consumers at the grocery store, the farmers market, and even the ballot box to make the change and move all of us toward a more sustainable path for generations to come.
The event is SOLD OUT, but interested participants can sign up for the live-stream HERE. Or JOIN US for dinner and a reception to celebrate Food Tank’s two-year anniversary on January 21st at 5:30pm EST. This event will also sell out fast, REGISTER NOW.
