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Partners for Family Farms meeting to feature
renowned sustainability expert
By
Carol L. Spence
LEXINGTON, Ky., (Jan. 16, 2008) – For family farms to survive,
it takes the support of the community. Conversely, a strong
network of local farms is vital to the success of sustainable
communities. That is the premise behind Partners for Family
Farms, whose upcoming annual meeting will feature Sergio
Palleroni as keynote speaker.
Palleroni, visiting associate professor of architecture and
sustainable development at the University of Texas at Austin, is
a world-renowned expert in helping communities become more
sustainable. The Argentina native is known for his BASIC
(Building Sustainable Communities) Initiative. Within BASIC,
students and professionals from a variety of disciplines work
with members of marginalized communities from a variety of
cultures to solve local problems using indigenous resources and
outside-the-envelope problem solving.
Bonnie Tanner, Partners for Family Farms board member and
retired University of Kentucky College of Agriculture
administrator, said that Palleroni’s work around the globe and
Partners for Family Farms’ work in Kentucky both focus on
improving people’s lives and preserving their culture.
“Farmers need that supportive network that comes from the
community,” she said. “And our local communities need to know
our farmers provide good wholesome food that they can purchase.
Local is so important. Knowing where your food comes from is
important. Most people don’t realize their food travels an
average of 1,500 miles before it reaches them.”
Partners for Family Farms is a nonprofit organization that
focuses on sustaining farm life and farmland through educating
people about the role of agriculture in local economies and
developing programs and opportunities that support farmers.
“One of the things that they’ve been very big in is advocating
for farmers’ markets and helping to get rules and regulations so
that the farmers can sell at the farmers markets,” Tanner said.
“They were big promoters and partners in the mobile processing
units, which provided small meat producers with the ability to
sell their products locally. They were also the first contractor
for the restaurant reward program. They helped get that
established and ran that until last year.”
The latter program offered incentives to restaurants for using
locally grown products.
This year’s meeting also honors Sue Weant, who is retiring as
the organization’s executive director.
“Sue sustained the organization for many years and was a true
advocate for local farmers and eating local food,” said Alice
Baesler, the group’s president.
The meeting begins at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 26 at Spindletop
Hall on Ironworks Pike in Lexington. Members and non-members
alike are invited. The cost of the evening is $30 per person.
This includes a Kentucky Proud dinner prepared by Spindletop
Executive Chef Edward Valente. The meal will feature braised
Green River Cattle Company short ribs of beef with a tomato demi
glace, Sheltowee Farm shiitake mushroom bread pudding, baby
carrots, a salad of wild field greens and, for dessert, Kentucky
chocolate pecan pie.
The deadline for reservations is Jan. 23. Send checks to
Partners for Family Farms, c/o Bonnie Tanner, 328 North College
Street, Harrodsburg, KY 40330 or call her at 859-734-9337.
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Contact: Bonnie Tanner, 859-734-9337
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through its land-grant mission, reaches across the commonwealth
with teaching, research and extension
to enhance the lives of
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