[Cross-posted on the DC Food for All]

Every five years, Congress gets to work on the nearly 300-billion dollar piece of legislation known as the “Farm Bill” – an “omnibus” bill that addresses everything from farm subsidies to commodity growers to SNAP and other programs to support those in need, from foreign food aid to grants from community food programs.

These policies combined set the framework for what and how we eat, and whether our food is nourishing and affordable, what assistance our society provides to feed hungry people. Set to expire in 2012, the most recent Farm Bill included some improvements, but still disproportionately supports a food system dominated by the large-scale, agribusiness approach to agriculture.

At the same time, here in DC, folks have been talking about how our food system is broken – more than one in eight families classify as food insecure, and nearly half of DC residents are overweight or obese. While the NFI & the DC Field to Fork Network believes that community gardens and urban food production can be part of the solution to these challenges, we can also join our voices together to demand systemic change.

Across the country and here in DC, the support for local farmers, fresh and healthy food, gardening, and farmers markets has reached new levels of enthusiasm. That enthusiasm for a new food system, however, has yet to be translated into new food policy. To achieve a Farm Bill that supports the kind of food system we want – one that nourishes our bodies, our land, and our communities – we’ve got to get involved!

Here’s one opportunity: the Neighborhood Farm Initiative is hosting Food and Water Watch for a conversation about the Farm Bill at our next Saturday morning workday! Join us for the Mamie D. Lee Community Garden clean-up day on Saturday, June 4th from 10 a.m. – noon. Then, stick around for a potluck and discussion beginning at noon!

The garden is located right between the Mamie D. Lee school (100 Gallatin Street NE) and the Ft Totten Metro Station (Red, Yellow, & Green Lines) From the metro station, turn left (north) and walk up the sidewalk past where the buses stop.

Want to learn more? Check out Food and Water watch’s webiste, or one of my favorite facebook pages – Understanding the Farm Bill. Want to have one of these discussions in your garden or garden spaces? Contact khuynh@fwwatch.org or dcfieldtofork@gmail.com for more.

Download a copy of the new report by clicking on the cover below!

City Blossoms is seeking dynamic, creative, garden-loving individuals to help lead programming and make greening the city exciting. City Blossoms’ programming lead programming and make greening the city exciting. City Blossoms’ programming includes regular weekly workshops at several locations in Washington, D.C.,Takoma Park, and Baltimore, as well as family-oriented weekend events, volunteer days and various community events.

Experience in education (schools, summercamps, out-of-school programs) is required and Spanish-speaking skills are a plus. Gardening and/or Arts knowledge/confidence is extremely helpful! Must be available to work weekdays and some Saturdays. Internship includes hands-on experience in leading workshops as well as varied administrative tasks. A small stipend is provided for successful completion of this internship. Potential for part-time employment is contingent on the completion of this internship. Applicants with access to a car are highly desired. Please send your resume along with a cover letter to Lola Bloom lola@cityblossoms.org

History the Natural Way Series: Open Fire Cuisine

Saturday, May 21, 2011  1:00 pm – 2:30 pm at Croydon Creek Nature Center

Croydon Creek Nature Center is teaming up with Peerless Rockville and Culinary Historian Michael Twitty to present a series of adult programs on the history of Rockville and Montgomery County.

Ages 18+

Food historian, Michael W. Twitty, presents a demonstration of open-fire cookery and a discussion of historic Montgomery County foodways and food history. Come prepare a baked treat from the 18th and 19th centuries and share stories of heirloom recipes and family traditions; and learn about the legacy of Maryland’s gastronomic heritage. Fee: $12/$16NR. Please register in advance as spaces are limited.
More info: http://www.rockvillemd.gov/croydoncreek

Neighborhood Farm Initiative Plant Sales!
Featuring organically grown tomato, pepper, squash, and herb seedlings!

Every Saturday in May
10:00 am – 1:00 pm

At Community Forklift
4671 Tanglewood Drive
Edmonston, MD 20781
(five minutes outside NE DC)

All proceeds to benefit NFI, a non-profit educational urban farm located in Northeast DC. www.neighborhoodfarminitiative.org

Community Forklift is DC’s thrift store for home improvement!  Instead of donating clothing and couches, folks donate renovation leftovers like cabinets, doors, lights, and lumber. The building materials can then be sold to the public at very low prices (40% to 80% below big-box stores). Donations are tax-deductible. www.CommunityForklift.com

Happy National Garden Month!

As gardeners look forward to beginning a new season, we’d like to remind you to think about how your work in the garden can be a part of the global warming solution.

Last spring, as you may remember, we announced the publication of our guide, The Climate-Friendly Gardener: A Guide to Combating Global Warming from the Ground Up. Thousands of gardeners around the country have already received copies of this guide and are putting climate-friendly gardening practices to work in their own yards!

This spring, check out our new, short videos that demonstrate two of our recommended climate-friendly garden techniques—composting and planting trees. If you have already adopted these practices, please forward these valuable resources on to your fellow gardeners.

Our final video explains how gardeners can help make an impact on an even larger scale—by supporting the adoption of climate-friendly practices on our nation’s farms. As Congress prepares for the next Farm Bill, which will determine the course of food-related policy in our country, gardeners can play a key role. Our videoexplains how!

If you have any questions or would like more information, feel free to contact me. And, of course, if you would like free copies of this publication, please email Jenn Yates at jyates@ucsusa.org.

We hope you enjoy the videos and guide, and wish you a happy and sustainable garden season!

- From The Food and Environment Program of the Union of Concerned Scientists