Amber Stott at work.As the farm to fork movement has gained momentum in Sacramento, we’ve been thinking about how The Sacramento Press could play a role, what our focus should be, and what kind of voices we can bring to the table.
Some of our most popular stories tend to be about the openings and closings of restaurants on the grid, but this clearly called for a different approach. "Farm to Fork" is, as the name suggests, about the food system from top to bottom. There’s lots of good food and restaurant coverage in Sacramento (Edible magazine is one of my favorites) but not enough about the food system as a whole, or about the food movement, and all its individual players, organizations and interconnected parts. To help us fill that gap, we’ve enlisted Amber Stott, a freelance writer who is also the co-founder of the California Food Literacy Center.
Stott will be writing a monthly, in-depth column for The Sacramento Press, which will be followed by a live podcast in which we’ll discuss her writing and the latest happenings in the food movement in Sacramento. The first event, called "Farm to Fork, Where’s The Teeth?" will be held May 1 at the Urban Hive.
To begin the conversation, I interviewed Stott about what she plans to write and how she sees farm to fork in Sacramento.
Jared Goyette: What drew you to food politics to begin with? How long has it interested you?
Amber Stott: When I was 12, I read a book called 50 Simple Things You Can Do to Save the Earth. I learned that through the basic act of eating, our behavior has a tremendous impact on the planet. We can’t always change the attitudes of others, but we can start right here, right now with our own food choices. Such an easy way to make a difference! I’ve been passionate about the subject ever since.
JG: What do you think is missing from the food conversation in Sacramento?
AS: Sacramento has a rich and diverse food scene, which I love! The biggest problem: how disjointed the conversation is. As a collective whole, we’re all having the right conversations, asking the right questions. The gap lies in bringing these discussions together, overlapping them, and finding common ground. Many folks are siloed on one side of the food story or another. Our region has amazing examples of successes that happen when farmers pull up a chair to talk to librarians, or a healthcare worker invites a chef into a homeless shelter, or when food bloggers join nonprofit boards. There’s a food movement bubbling up here – and we’ve only begun to scratch the surface of possibility.
JG: What do you plan to cover in your column?
AS: I’ll connect the dots along the food system continuum, bringing together unique food voices. I’ll push the conversation in new directions, ask hard questions, encourage the community to take part, and provide tangible ways to become a food change agent. It will be a delicious adventure in local food politics.
JG: You entiled your first column and podcast “Farm to Fork, Where’s the Teeth?”Why that idea, and what does it say about the direction you plan to take?
AS: I wear a lot of food system hats. I’m a food writer, run a food literacy nonprofit, develop recipes, shoot food photography, and have worked with hungry families in microfinance programs around the world. My work takes me to farms, restaurants, my backyard garden, classrooms, and other cities and countries. This paints my perspective and allows me a 20,000-foot view, and will influence the direction of my column.
Specifically, I want to talk about our local farm to fork movement to cull the voices in one place, demonstrating the interconnectedness of the movement. The cross-dialog that I mentioned above has begun to form around Farm to Fork Week due to its large-scale publicity. Yet, all the players were working, boots on the ground, long before the Mayor signed the resolution that named Sacramento the Farm to Fork Capitol. Farm to Fork Week has thrown us all together, and we’ve got to learn to work in sync. Now more than ever, it’s important that we understand each others’ roles in this movement. I want to give the conversation context, dispel myths, and inspire ownership and action.
JG: What misconceptions do you see out there about Farm to Fork?
AS: One important misconception: the sense that you or your cause is missing from the collective conversation. This is exciting stuff, so of course everyone wants to be at the table. Personally, I’m a committed change agent. I tell folks not to wait for the mayor to call and invite them to the table. This food movement belongs to everyone. Give yourself permission to take part. This is YOUR movement, Sacramento!
JG: What’s the most urgent problem Sacramento faces in terms of food access?
AS: I recently learned a technical term called “Wicked Mess.” It refers to problems that are difficult to solve because of the many changing and contradictory elements involved. Food access and our food system are a wicked mess!
That being said, as you learn about the complicated mess of our food system, I hope it riles you up a bit, ignites a fire in your belly – just like the book I read at the age of 12, which inspired me to change my eating habits to save the planet.
Find the one thing that moves you. *That* is the most urgent problem. Don’t delay! Go into the world and tackle it. Find others who are equally passionate and unite with them. If we all start somewhere, we can begin to move mountains.
JG: If you were a vegetable or a fruit, which one would you be and why?
AS: Rhubarb, because it represents my roots: my grandma’s recipes, my parents’ backyard garden, and carefree summers as a child in rural Illinois chasing fireflies. I wish more kids had access to a lifestyle like that.
JG: If people want to get involved in progressive food politics in Sacramento, what should they do?
AS: Begin immediately. Go online and find out who else is working on the issue that inspires you most. Reach out and offer to volunteer. If you see a gap, offer to work together to fill it. There’s power in numbers!
The live podcast "Farm to Fork, Where’s the Teeth?" will be held Wednesday, May 1 at The Urban Hive on 1931 H St. Tickets are $5 online, $10 at the door. All proceeds from ticket sales go to benefit The Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services.
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