Food For Thought
Breakfast Club Webinars
Overview
Food For Thought
They shared their work, perspectives, passion and vision for food systems, food that unifies, the impact of COVID19, and identified resources for rural women. It was wonderful to have 60 folks join us on ZOOM!
Dani Pieratos
Food Access Coordinator AEOA
Dani is deeply rooted with food and body sovereignty and food access. She’s a born dynamic leader and brings tenacity her roles for Harvest Nation. Her recent work experience has been in tribal program administration – specifically as a former Office Manager for Bois Forte’s tribal housing program and education (B.A. With Honors, Stanford University). These have provided Dani with unique skills and perspective to our team, which will prove invaluable in establishing our delivery networks, sales, and outreach. As of June 1, 2018, she resigned from the tribal government to focus on community building around the development of Harvest Nation. She’s held interests across a host of social issues, including tribal sovereignty and sustainability. Above anything, Dani is motivated to make this world more livable, which is why she is so excited to contribute her talents to Harvest Nation. She’s now newly employed as the Food Access Coordinator for the Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency while her mom Denise Pieratos handles Harvest Nation development world.
Fallon Ryan
Engagement Coordinator
Fallon is the Engagement Coordinator for Sprout MN, a non-profit food hub based in Little Falls. She has a love for water and food that have guided her path to working for sustainability. A system that fosters a relationship between the environment, economy, and ethics. She has been building a knowledge base in the food system through her work with farmers, food scientists, entrepreneurs, policy makers, and organizations that encourage them. Beyond Sprout, Fallon serves as the Coordinator for the Central Chapter of Sustainable Farming Association, is part of the new leadership academy of MN Farmers Association, is a part of AURI’s Food Industry Thought Leaders Group, and enjoys participating in many other community and state organizations. https://www.wealthworks.org/connect/hubs
Noreen Thomas
Owner, Doubting Thomas Farms
Noreen Thomas is an organic producer just right outside of Moorhead, Minnesota. Doubting Thomas Farms, the fifth generation farm provides tours, educational classes, and grows blue corn, wheat for bakeries, barley and soybeans for export as well as local grains and local food. Thomas has a bachelors of science in food, nutrition and chemistry as well as microbiology. Also, Thomas was the first women farmer to achieve a lifetime achievement award from the University of Minnesota.
Resources and Recording from the Webinar
Due to rural internet technical issues we only have a partial recording available at this time.
Women Farmers:
Noreen Thomas: Doubting Thomas Farms
Carla Mertz Iron Shoe Farm
Liz Dwyer: Dancing The Land (They have a neat volunteer section of their website)
Leah Penniman: Soul Fire Farm
Louise Johnson: Grampa G’s
Organizations:
Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture (MISA)
Policy Resources:
Webinars:
Books and Reading:
Barbara Kingsolver: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle
Joel Salatin: Folks this Ain’t Normal
Micheal Pollan: In Defense of Food
Wendell Berry: The Unsettling of America
Leah Penniman: Farming While Black