The Story Walking Radio Hour with Wendy Fachon

Building Local Food Systems Through Community

Guests: Leigh Vincola, Market Manager, Farm Fresh Rhode Island, and

Susan Murray, Market Manager and Farmer, Coastal Foodshed

The majority of produce sold in New England supermarkets is shipped all the way from California, which requires a lot of fossil fuel for transport. This episode will investigate the many ways in which local food systems support sustainability and preserve the environment. The show will begin with a walk through New England's largest farmers market. Recognizing that 90 percent of food consumed in New England is grown elsewhere, the region has established a bold plan to produce 50 percent of its own food by the year 2060. Farm Fresh Rhode Island and Coastal Foodshed are among many New England organizations embracing this vision. They are all working to build local food system communities that link farmers to consumers through farmers markets and other community access programs. Our featured guests are two farm-to-table professionals, who share their stories, experience, knowledge and resources with regards to the local food sector.

Leigh Vincola is the Farmers Market Program Manager for Farm Fresh Rhode Island. She has been working toward food system sustainability in New England for a couple of decades. Over the years she has come at this work from a variety of angles, including as an urban gardener, writer, marketing and PR specialist, event planner, and more recently, restaurant owner. Our second guest, Susan Murray, founded Flying Carrot Farm with her partner Tony Wood in Dartmouth, MA. One goal of the farm is to build community around local food through their CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program. Working with local community partners, Susan also brings subsidized farm shares into low-income areas of New Bedford. Susan is also the New Bedford Farmers Market Manager, working with Coastal Foodshed to make locally-grown food available to all.

Listen to ideas for shifting towards buying more locally-sourced foods, and see how you can help preserve the environment, and the climate.

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