Where’s the Food in Your Neighborhood?

Does your neighborhood have a grocery store? Not all do. What if that store actively supported local farmers and carried fresh fruits and vegetables from around the state? What if your neighborhood had its own farmers’ market and you could get to know the farmers directly? What if there was a community garden down the street where you could grow your own vegetables—tomatoes and tomatillos for salsa, green beans for Thanksgiving casserole?

If your neighborhood doesn’t have these things, what would it take to create them?

These are the questions the Food Policy Council is asking. How do we make sure that fresh, nutritious, locally and sustainably-grown food is affordable and available for everyone? How do we make food planning an integral part of urban planning, right along with transportation and affordable housing?

The Council, a citizens’ advisory group to the City of Portland and Multnomah County, is charged with helping the city and the county build a sustainable food system. This means that we eat what’s grown closest to home, we support our local farmers who steward the land and we make sure that fresh food is available and affordable for everyone.

Focusing on whole food systems from farmers to consumers, the Council finds ways to remove barriers and take advantage of opportunities. Some solutions are relatively simple, like changing the zoning laws to allow a neighborhood to block off a street on Saturdays for a farmers’ market. Or setting up the Debit Food Stamp Program in the farmers’ markets. This was recently made possible when wireless technology eliminated the need for telephone lines and power cords.

Other problems are harder to solve, such as the fact that some neighborhoods just don’t have the economic base to support a grocery store. But even there, creative solutions are possible. New Seasons Market, for instance, has opened stores between neighborhoods with different income levels. The mix of incomes serves the lower income neighborhood with the support of the higher end. The store is successful and both neighborhoods have access to good, local food. Farmers’ markets are discovering similar strategies.

Urban renewal projects provide excellent opportunities to reassess the availability of good food. When the Hope VI New Columbia housing project was being designed, a group of food advocates helped integrate a community garden, a plaza for a future open air farmers’ market, and a grocery store in the business center.

Urban agriculture is just starting to attract renewed interest. During World War II, Americans were encouraged to grow “victory gardens” in their yards and vacant lots. (See Victory Gardens) Today there’s a long waiting list for community gardens in Portland. The Council has started the Diggable City project to identify tillable land within the city and start pilot projects of small-scale urban farming so people can grow their own food.

Looking for ways to increase the demand for locally-grown food, the Council approached the corrections system in Multnomah County, asking that they purchase 3 produce items locally. Aramark, the food service provider, came back and said “We can do better than that, we can buy 12.” Not only that, the company has contracts with six other counties and plans to explore implementing the same strategy in those counties as well.

Conversations are just starting around “farm to school” and “farm to hospital” programs. What if the hospitals in your city actually served delicious food from seasonal fruits and vegetables grown locally? What if your kids knew the local farmers because they delivered directly to their school? What if the kids grew the food themselves?

What does the foodscape look like in your neighborhood?

Here’s to Farmers’ Markets

As I walk through the farmers’ market, I’m struck by what is going on here. Beets and chard gleaming in their baskets. The smell of chili peppers roasting over an open flame. Knots of people chatting and laughing. A farmer’s child perched on a box behind the stand, in full Halloween dress – pointy hat, orange hair and striped tights. Fresh, handmade tortillas warming my hands in their tin foil wrapper. Painted gourd vases and jalapeño cheddar bread, smoked salmon and fresh oysters. The laughter, the smiles, the music that has the bread man dancing. It’s a place alive and vibrant.

Farmers’ markets are starting to become more common here in the United States. But in much of the rest of the world, open-air markets are a long-standing tradition – the market square, the plaza, the bazaar. From Asia to Europe to Africa and South America, farmers and artisans have always brought their wares into town to sell them to the townspeople.

We Americans have been mesmerized in the last few decades by the convenience of the megamart. You can get anything, at any time of the day, any time of the year. But as I walk through the farmers’ market, my eyes are opened to so much more.

Yes, the food is enticing – crisp and fresh and almost glowing. But stop for a moment and just listen. Do you hear neighbors greeting one another? Do you hear farmers chatting and laughing with people as they move through?

It’s the end of the season now and the market is winding down. There’s a bit of sadness mingled with the fog. But even as the leaves drift down, there’s the promise of tomorrow. “See you next year!” “You can find me at the holiday market too.”

That promise is about more than just next season. No matter how citified our lives have become, here at the market, we have a chance to touch the earth. To delight our eyes and our tongues with fresh, carefully tended vegetables. To actually meet the farmers themselves. And their children, costumes and all. Think about it—just the fact that these children are here is a sign of hope. Here’s a whole new generation of farmers who are growing up connected with the people who are nourished by the food they grow.

There’s a sigh of relief, barely audible even to ourselves, when we know that our farmers will be here week after week and are even finding ways to keep a few of these markets open through the winter. We all know we need food. At the market, we start to realize that we need the farmers too. When I hold a beautiful, fresh bunch of spinach in my hand, I begin to appreciate just how much they contribute to my life.

The food, yes—it’s beautiful and delicious. I just feel better when I use it to create a meal for my family. But as I look around I realize that food, the ultimate gatherer of people, is helping us restore our communities.

We come to the market for the vegetables, but we walk away with lighter hearts and cheerful smiles. Food brought us here and, almost without our being aware of it, food is helping us rebuild those connections so vital to our own lives and to our neighborhoods. Here at the market, we can slow down, listen to the music, stamp our feet against the cold, run into an old friend, make a new one. Little by little we become stronger as a community.

Don’t get me wrong—farmers’ markets are no panacea for the social ills our cities face. But they are moving us in the right direction. Lao Tzu, the Chinese philosopher, said it best:

Cultivated in the individual, character will become genuine;
Cultivated in the family, character will become abundant;
Cultivated in the village, character will multiply;
Cultivated in the state, character will prosper;
Cultivated in the world, character will become universal.

translated by Lin Yutang: http://www.terebess.hu/english/tao/yutang.html#Kap55

What is a Sustainable Food System?

Imagine sitting by a pond, quiet and peaceful. Now listen and watch. Do you hear all the buzzing and chirping around you? Do you see the fish darting in the shadows? The more you look, the more you see—thousands of different kinds of plants and animals all making up this little ecosystem.

Now imagine someone decides to make the pond more “efficient.” One type of fish, bird, and bug. The best and the brightest. One variety of tree, bush and flower. What happens to the pond? This particular fish eats only green algae, leaving the red algae unchecked. It’s not long before the pond is overrun in red goo and neither fish nor fowl can live there.

I know this a simplified picture, but it’s similar to what is happening in our food system today. We’ve focused on efficiency, producing vegetables at the lowest possible cost, and we’ve constructed an impressive system to accomplish it. However, now we are beginning to see the damage it is causing. Our huge, centralized food system is actually reducing our ability to grow food in the long term.

Sustainability means providing for today and investing in tomorrow. It means valuing the land, the people who work it, and the food they produce. A sustainable food system is one in which we foster diversity, take care of the soil, eat what’s grown closest to home, and manage our waste.

Cultivate Diversity
Diversity is nature’s standard. A sustainable system is a diverse system. This means more smaller farms around the country, rather than a few enormous agribusiness corporations. It means numerous varieties of fruits and vegetables, rather than the select handful that are currently chosen based on yield, cost, and transportability.

Replenish the Soil
If we feed the soil, it will continue to feed us. With crop rotation and cover crops, we prevent soil erosion, whereas monoculture and row-cropping leave large tracks of land barren for much of the year. Cover crops and green manure actually put nutrients back into the soil, while our current chemical fertilizers and pesticides not only deplete the soil, but pollute our rivers and contaminate our groundwater.

Eat Locally
When we support our local farmers, our food is fresher. It was picked this morning, not flown in from Chile or trucked thousands of miles from out of state. We learn to eat what’s in season and to really appreciate strawberries when they arrive.

Our food is healthier. The recent outbreak of e. coli in spinach points out the flaws in our centralized system. With these huge processing plants, if one batch of spinach is contaminated it ruins the entire production. When we eat locally, if there is a problem, we can track it down quickly and correct it.

Our economy is healthier. When we buy our food from local farmers, we turn those dollars more times before they exit the state. Not only that, our money is actually spent on food, rather than on the fuel it takes to ship it to us.

Convert Waste to Food
In nature, all waste is reused; it becomes food for another part of the system. We are continuing to see how to apply this principle in agriculture to replace petroleum-based products. We are finding ways to use plant and animal waste (even used cooking oils) to create adhesives, lubricants, electricity, even fuel for our cars. The more we produce here at home, the more we reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

Imagine our farmlands, alive and buzzing again. Imagine fresh local vegetables and clean homegrown fuel for our cars. Imagine what we can do.

Epiphany from a Dish Rack?

I never thought I’d find elegance in something as mundane as a dish rack. But when I took it out of the box, it gleamed. Clean, simple lines. It fits in the sink or on the counter. The drip tray doubles as a plate rack, with a spout for funneling the water into the sink. It’s very well designed: it fits the way we live and any extras are easily removed and stowed away.

But what really struck me was the instruction sheet. Clean, simple, and yes, elegant. The product itself is so well designed you really don’t need instructions, but just in case, here they are. Very clear, very simple.

On the front was a simple “thank you for buying this product” and then the words reverberated in my mind:

“Our biggest inspiration comes from our customers. If you have an idea for a feature or item we haven’t thought of yet, why not share it with us? You can reach us at www.simplehuman.com.”

What a refreshing change to be treated as an intelligent human being! Not only that, but to be invited to participate. You know darn well if I have an idea, I’ll send it to them. I know they’ll do a good job.

In this age of rapid (dizzying) change, one relationship that is undergoing a profound overhaul is that between consumer and producer. In the past, it was a somewhat adversarial interaction. Companies tried to find out what consumers wanted through marketing studies and sell what they had through advertising and calls during the dinner hour.

But you and I have always known we are so much more than faceless consumers who fuel the market economy. Now, conditions and technology have evolved to the point where we can actively participate in the producing process. Companies who realize this and are not afraid to tap into this potential are finding a wealth of insights and feedback.

Imagine: rather than just accepting whatever shows up in the marketplace, what if we had a real dialog with the producers of these goods? What would we ask for? What would happen if there was actually someone listening on the other end when you shared your frustrations or had an idea?

It’s taking place as we speak. In various ways and in various forms, there are companies who are not just putting up with consumer complaints, but actively seeking input, ideas, and feedback. And it is changing how things are built. The common wisdom among software companies now is that you involve your customers from the very beginning. Show them your product concept, get their feedback, involve them in the design process. And now the idea has spread to the housewares industry.

This is the age of the individual. Never before have we had access to so much information. Never before have we had so much potential for influence.

We have a voice now.

How will you use yours?

The Power of Neighborhood

When you walk through your neighborhood, what do you see? Are you greeted by name? What are the children doing? How are the elders faring? What do the streets look like? What about the buildings? How are the parks and schools?

If you could create your ideal neighborhood, what would it look like? How would people treat each other? Would there be a place to gather and chat and enjoy the sunshine? What colors would the buildings be? What would the trash cans look like? The sidewalks? The bus stops? What would be happening at the school? After school? What would happen in your neighborhood on a warm summer evening? On a cold winter night? How would the elders feel living in your neighborhood? How would the children feel growing up there? What would a visitor experience?

I recently visited an organization that firmly believes every individual can make a positive difference in their community and that together, ordinary people can create vibrant, resilient neighborhoods. Our United Villages works with neighborhoods to bring people together around common interests and to realize their potential as a community.

It all started after a drive-by shooting. Neighbors gathered and started talking about how and why things had gotten so bad in the neighborhood. How had everyone become so hopeless? Many late night discussions followed.

As the talk turned to crime prevention, it centered around one kid – a 12-year-old boy who had become the neighborhood thief and vandal. Finally someone asked “Does anyone know David? What’s important to him?”

So they asked him. He wanted a million dollars, a motorcycle and he wanted his teeth fixed. The first two were out of the question, so they decided to look into what they could do about David’s teeth. A week or two later, one of the neighbors told his hairdresser about the project. She was so inspired she donated $50 on the spot and didn’t charge him for the haircut. Not only that, she told the salon owner, whose husband happened to be an orthodontist. He offered to do the work immediately and for half price. The neighbors could pay him as they raised the money.

David got straight teeth and the house break-ins ceased. The neighbors realized that now they had a relationship with David. He knew them and no longer stole from them. And he prevented his friends from stealing from them.

Things changed in the neighborhood. Seeing they could make a difference in one situation, the neighbors started brainstorming about other things they could do to improve the community. Eventually they formed Our United Villages to help other neighborhoods through the same process.

Our United Villages works with a neighborhood to find out what’s important to the people living and working there. Together with neighbors from that community, they conduct door-to-door surveys to identify the priorities. Then they help the community hold Neighborhood Conversations on these topics, which range from youth activities to healthcare, from sharing knowledge and skills to developing the local economy. Neighbors have a chance to share ideas, make connections and take the first steps toward action.

Neighbors also learn how to put on special events like Neighborhood History Storytelling sessions and Neighborhood Celebrations.

Amazing things are happening. An elder who was faced with moving to a nursing home is now able to stay in her own home because her neighbors gave her a whistle to call them whenever she needs something. And they come. Even the children know what to do. One boy was riding his bike with his friends, heard the whistle and went in to see her. A few minutes later, he came out with her recycling. He waved and then hopped on his bike and went on his way with his friends.

What does your neighborhood feel like?

How do you want it to be?

How Do You Experience “Enough”?

Dr. Kimberly Hindman is a Naturopathic Physician and Licensed Acupuncturist and really loves her work. In a recent interview, I asked her what she experiences now that she’s doing what she loves. Her answer intrigued me:

There is enough. From a very practical perspective, there are enough patients for all of us. There are enough people. There is enough time. I have enough resources.

This is what I try to help people realize in their own lives: there is enough time. Maybe they need to organize their time, but there is enough. When you let go of that frazzled, ‘there isn’t enough’ feeling, oftentimes people find that they work more efficiently.

When there is enough, people tend to breathe. I see it with patients and I do it myself as well. I breathe differently. I actually inhale fully all the way in and let my lungs really fill up because there is enough air. I can take all the air I need for myself because there really is enough for me and for everyone else. And then I can let it go. I don’t have to hold onto it, thinking ‘Well I don’t know… If there’s not enough, maybe I’m not going to get more. I’ll hold onto this.’

Breathing has a huge impact on us physically. It changes the signals in our nervous system. It changes our hormone balance and actually puts us into a more restful, neurological state. This helps people think more clearly, because they’re able to listen better and communicate better, to pay more attention. They remember things better. It helps people to prioritize better. When they are in that place they can really check in with themselves and ask ‘Do I really need to do this? No. It’s filler. It’s extra stuff. But that? That I do need to do and it is important to me.’

How do you remember there is enough?

I check in with myself every so often and ask ‘Am I breathing?’ You can easily shift that state just by changing the way you’re breathing. Oftentimes I’ll find that if the thought pops into my head, ‘Oh I need to check,’ it’s because I’ve forgotten. Even if I’m sitting in front of a computer, I ask ‘Are you breathing?’

I set timers so I can take a 5 minute break. The work will not explode if I take two minutes, just close my eyes or walk around the office and just breathe. And I usually come back to whatever it is with a much clearer mind, a fresher perspective and be able to keep going.

I spend time thinking about the things that are the blessings in my life.

I take time for myself. Sometimes it is a very short amount of time. But it’s the intention. I’m going to take this 5 minutes. I would love an hour and a half, but I’m not going to get it, so I’m going to take this 5 minutes and this is for me. And I’m just going to go outside… I’m going to do something that’s just for me. It may just be just sitting quietly and just reminding myself of all the really good things that are in my life right now. That may be all I can do right now for today. And that’s just fine.

I simplify my life. And, as a result, I actually do have more time and energy because I’m not frittering it away on things that really aren’t important to me. Some of that comes down to knowing what my individual priorities are. What are the things that are important to me? Where do I want to spend my time and my focus?

Then my ‘to do’ list is smaller and the things on it are really important to me, so I get all those things done. And so Okay, maybe there are a few things that would be sort of nice to do that I’ll do tomorrow. But for the most part, the big things got done. It’s the end of the day and I feel like I have accomplished things. And I’ve accomplished things that are important, that mean something to me.

So What Does Sufficiency Look Like?

In The Soul of Money, Lynne Twist tells story after story of individuals, groups, even companies discovering the freeing effects of sufficiency. Through these stories, several ideas emerge. One of them is…

What is Already There
What happens when we let go of chasing after “more” and just list the things we already have?

• What relationships do we already have?
• What talents and skills do we already have?
• We all have 1440 minutes in a day. How do we spend this time?
• What money have we already saved?
• What things do we already own?

What happens when we take a moment to really appreciate the things we already have?

• Who are the people in our lives we really value? What is it about them that makes them so special?
• What are the things we really like about ourselves? What are our greatest talents?
• Of the things we spend time on, which are the ones we really enjoy?
• Of all the checks we’ve written and purchases we’ve made, which have been the most satisfying?
• What do we like most about our home? Is it the location? The colors? The neighbors? The landscaping? What do we really enjoy about our home?

As we enjoy what we already have, what emerges?

• Do we discover old friends we’d like to contact again? Think of new ones we’d like to know better?
• Do we remember old interests we’d like to pursue again? Unearth hidden talents we didn’t realize were talents?
• Do we find hidden pockets of time that we can use in new ways?
• Do we realize that money is energy, that it takes on the meaning we give it?
• Do we experience peacefulness in the place we live and the things we own?

What happens when we appreciate what is already there?

The Myth of Scarcity

What?! Scarcity a myth? Everyone knows our resources are dwindling. There is not enough and you’d better get your piece before someone else does.

But suppose for a moment that there is enough for everyone. Enough not just to survive, but to really thrive. This is the invitation Lynne Twist offers in The Soul of Money. She suggests that when we stop racing to get more and more and really appreciate what we already have, we find the creative energy to bring forth what we need.

The myth of scarcity. How often do we say to ourselves “there is not enough”? Not enough money, not enough time, not enough jobs, not enough resources. So we have to work hard to get more before it runs out. More money, a newer car, a bigger house, a bigger paycheck. As Lynne Twist points out, because these attitudes are so pervasive in our society, we just assume that's the way it is and there's not really anything we can do about it.

But Lynne tells stories of more and more people discovering that this simply isn't true. By stepping back and letting go of the idea of scarcity, people are starting to discover the wealth they do have. All kinds of wealth - inner resources, knowledge, skills, relationships, connections. I remember watching an interview of an older African American woman in the aftermath of Katrina. There, amid all the stories of people who had lost everything, she was a voice of reassurance and determination: “You are still alive. You have a mind and two hands and together we can rebuild.”

Sufficiency. Lynne suggests “if we look around us and within ourselves, we will find what we need. There is always enough.”

Think about it. If we know in our hearts there is enough--enough for everyone—how would our decisions be different?

• Would we breathe a sigh of relief?
• How would we steward and develop our time, treasure and talent?
• What would we invest these resources in?
• What kind of a world would we build for our children? For everyone’s children?
• What would our businesses look like?
• Would we begin to see that we actually can make a difference?

If we believe there is enough…