This day-long event - which includes panel discussions, workshops and talks - is free and open to the public.
Grow your own food! Soil preperation, starting seeds, composting, container gardening in small spaces
Cooking demonstations: preparing healthy & low-cost meals, making pickles, canning, raw foods
Info on ethnic specialty crops: Local West African, Caribbean, Central American, & African-American agricultural specialists
Where do we get affordable fresh food? Farmers' markets, co-ops, non-profit agencies, proposed regional distribution center
Roundtable discussions: Urban agriculture, affecting local policy change, Healthy Affordable Food for All
Rooting DC 2010
Saturday, February 20, 2009
9:30 am - 4 pm
Historical Society of Washington, 801 K Street NW
Near the Mt. Vernon Sq./Convention Center and Gallery Place metro stops
In its third year, Rooting DC promotes gardening as a low-cost way to provide food for families, particularly in areas where fresh, affordable food is hard to come by because of lack of supermarkets (aka River East). Plus, healthy diets are good for you and for the planet.
This year Rooting DC is focusing on Food Production, Distribution, Preparation and Preservation. One workshop will focus on how to teach gardening to kids and will be led by experienced professionals from the Washington Youth Garden and City Blossoms. There will also be presentations that touch on growing ethnic foods, nutrition, food demos, basic gardening and urban agriculture, and emergency food resources. Some workshops will even be in Spanish.
The keynote speakers include Joe Nasr (one of the "founding fathers" of urban agriculture) and Robert Egger (DC Central Kitchen). There will also be a presentation from Tony Cohen of the Historic Button Farm at Seneca Creek State Park, Maryland. This incredible unique facility has an "Underground Railroad Immersion Experience."
Also, be sure to check out Common Good City Farm in LeDroit Park....which offers youth and adults alike a safe, outdoor setting to learn, grow, and nourish.
