5th Annual Rooting DC Free Urban Gardening Forum

DC’s Field to Fork Network announces the 5th annual Rooting DC Forum to be held on Feb. 18, 2012 at Coolidge High School. The forum, which is free and open to the public, will attract an anticipated audience of 500 community members, who will come together to learn about food production and access in DC.

Prominent presenters include DC Senator Paul Strauss, who will participate in a panel on food justice, and culinary historian Michael W. Twitty, who will lead a presentation on local and regional heirlooms including those important to African American traditions. Other guest speakers include Alex Ashbrook, director of DC Hunger Solutions, and Wildlife Biologist for the Department of the Environment Damien Ossi, who will join leaders of the local food justice and urban agriculture movement. The daylong program will include interactive workshops, cooking and food preservation demonstrations, an information fair, and panel discussions focusing on food justice and healthy food access.

“Concerns about access to healthy food, limiting our environmental impact, and supporting local economies are coming together to create a powerful new interest in growing your own food here in the District,” says event organizer, Bea Trickett of the Neighborhood Farm Initiative.

The aim of Rooting DC is to respond to this enthusiasm by educating the public, especially those in food insecure communities, on the production, distribution, preparation, and preservation of fresh produce that is grown locally and sustainably.

Rooting DC is co-sponsored by members of DC’s Field to Fork Network, as organized by America the Beautiful Fund. The Network is comprised of the dozens of organizations working in DC to strengthen the links between community gardening, food preparation, and nutritional outreach, and to foster regional change in how we approach our food. This year, Rooting DC is held in partnership with the Coolidge High School Alumni Association, who recently spearheaded the planting of an outdoor classroom and is working to restore the greenhouse at their school.

The 5th annual Rooting DC Forum will run from 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 18 at Coolidge High School, located at 6315 5th St., NW. Participants can find more information and register online at www.rootingdc.org or by calling 202-638-1649.