From Durham Friday Updates:
Durham resident Sylvia Foster expresses thanks to those residents who answered the questionnaire on the prospect of building a local food organization in Durham. There were a large number of responses with 260 out of 288 in support.
A group of interested citizens are discussing building a system to preserve, bundle, and deliver local food at peak nutritional value. The top priority in hub planning is supporting local farmers through sharing/maximizing their resources, adding opportunities for crop diversity, and increasing the number and variety of value-added foods (locally made cheeses, jams, condiments, preserved meats, fish, artisan baked goods, local brews and wines). The local foods and products would replace those currently being shipped from far away.
As Durham’s needs are explored, consideration is given by the group to increasingly erratic weather patterns, unpredictable economic conditions, shrinking access to traditional energy resources, and a fundamentally insecure current food system. A hub is viewed as a way to keep local dollars in the local economy and otherwise build a stronger community.
Interested persons are welcome to join this conversation in support of farmers and help make connections to consumers and sponsors. The group’s next meetings are: Monday, March 31 and Monday, April 28, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m., Durham Public Library, Community Rooms (upstairs). Contact sylviajfoster@gmail.com with questions and/or suggestions.