If you love real, fresh food and want to know who grew it, where, and how, there is only one event to go to, to check all those boxes with a plateful of yummy goodness. The St Croix Valley Food Alliance(SCVFA) is having their 3rd Annual Harvest Party on Thursday, October 10 at Community Homestead near Osceola. WI. The festivities carry on from 6-8pm. Dinner from Fiddlehead Kitchen costs Adults-$20. Children $7.50. Live music from local band HWY Y.
Food, fun, and fundraising will be the focus for the evening of this burgeoning organization whose mission is to “strengthen and promote a thriving, resilient, and equitable local food economy in the St. Croix River Valley.
Since its launch in 2022, SCVFA has been the main project the Polk/Burnett chapter of the Wisconsin Farmers Union. They are focused on raising awareness and market access for more than 27 sustainable, climate conscious farmers. They have reached over 500 business and community members through their Winter Farmers Market held at Abrahamson’s Nursery in St. Croix Falls and The Acreage in Osceola as well as nutrition and food access programming like the POP program at local summer markets.
Member farmer sales happen at local farmers markets, on farm stores, local retail markets, and for a few member farms, through wholesale distribution to food shelves and pantries via the Local Food Purchase Assistance Program(LFPA).
LFPA is a joint project of Wisconsin Farmers Union, Marbleseed, Wisconsin Food Hub Cooperative, and WIDATCP. The goal is to support local producers and processors by ensuring the distribution of fresh, nutritious food to underserved communities. Making the healthiest food there is available to vulnerable populations is a total win-win situation for both farmers and neighbors. SCVFA is actively engaging with other farm and food access advocates to find ways for it to continue after the allocated federal money expires.
At a recent meeting with National Farmers Union citizen lobbyists, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack acknowledged that small farms play as big a role in agriculture as commercial operations that have more than $300,000/year in sales. Thriving, independent producers, healthy engaged citizens, and focusing on the places where we all live is the future of agriculture. SCVFA believes that the cycle of a healthy culture begins and ends with food, what we eat, how it is grown, prepared and shared. Come to the party and meet your farmers. A splendid time is guaranteed for all! More info? www.scvfoodalliance.org.
Comments