Working Agenda: Brown County Community FEAST - 9/24/2012

Goal of BCC FEAST: To help organize participants to develop and strengthen Brown County’s local food system.

The FEAST is designed to build on the momentum of the Brown County Healthy Foods Coalition’s work, and to inform, inspire, and support Brown County residents to improve their local food system. An additional objective of the FEAST is to serve as a model for other Kansas communities interested to organize and to improve their own local food systems.

Estimated Number of Participants: 80-100

Time / Who / Session Title
Session Purpose
Session “Script” and/or Facilitation Instructions / Notes/Logistics
3:00-ongoing / Highland CC Student Volunteers / Registration (ongoing)
Purpose:
1.  Get name and contact info for all participants
2.  Distribute materials, including program, to participants
3.  Orient participants to where they can sit and where info displays are / Steve will oversee development of participant sign up sheets and name tags.
Cole will provide printed programs for distribution.
Cia will work with Rachel to gather and guide volunteers.
Assign someone to watch the doorway & register latecomers throughout the event.
03:35-
3:42 / Steve / Welcome (6 min)
Purpose:
1.  Greet participants
2.  Thank Highland CC
3.  Introduce BCHFC – who they are, how they came to be, their mission
4.  Introduce GOAL of BCC FEAST (1 sentence, above)
5.  Note that event is hosted in collaboration with KFB (read brief note from Elizabeth who cannot attend, RC&D, CECD, & KRC) / Steve will wait for cue from Cole to begin. Anticipate slightly delayed start time as folks go through registration and find their seats.
03:43-04:00 / Gary
Myles
Cole / Introductions (Gary 3 min; Myles 5 min; Cole 7 min each)
Purpose:
1.  Gary/Myles/Cole: Introduce your organization and its mission
2.  Gary/Myles/Cole: Point to available resources at the info table(s)
3.  Myles: tell story of how FEAST came to Kansas
4.  Cole:
-create common language (eg. “Food Systems”)
-give program overview
-introduce presenters and their timeframe requirements / ß HANDOUT: Language document
04:00-05:00 / Karla
Cheryl
Barb
Annarose
Mark
Matt
Jake
Gene / Panelist Presentations
Purpose: To create a basic shared understanding of food systems in order to inform small group work addressing various local food system issues.
KARLA, Health Department -- (6 min)
Topic: Community Health
1.  Brown County health – the local picture
2.  Defining “accessibility” to healthy food
a.  Available (supply)
b.  Affordable
c.  Access via transportation
d.  Prepare-able (education issue - requires knowledge)
3.  Existing Services (eg. WIC, transport, other…)
CHERYL, Department of Education -- (6 min)
Topic: School programs to increase consumption of healthy foods
1.  Defining “food deserts” (incl. Kansas and Brown County info)
2.  Addressing issues of healthy food access through schools
3.  Addressing issues of nutrition and food education through schools
4.  Making school food healthier – changes to school food policy
(*importance of engaging Food Service Directors in planning)
BARB, Department of Education – (6 min)
Topic: Connecting local schools to local farms and food production
1.  Farm to School – basic broad summary of statewide activities
2.  Farm to Cafeteria – Where’s it happening? Tips for planning?
(*importance of engaging Food Service Directors in planning)
MATT, Extension Agent – (6 min)
Topic: Brown county grower activities and resources
1.  School gardens and other farm to school activity in Brown County
2.  Community gardens in Brown County
3.  Transitioning farmer issues in Brown County (old to new generations)
4.  Extension as a resource for growers (point to info table)
ANNAROSE, Kansas Department of Agriculture – (6 min)
Topic: Accessing locally produced food
1.  Defining “food hub” with model examples (point to info table)… seeing food hubs as an economically viable piece to increase healthy food access for all income levels
2.  Programs to increase access to Kansas produced foods
a.  EBT (credit card & vision card access; markets, CSAs, groceries)
b.  WIC (market, CSA(?), groceries, etc.)
c.  Others?
3.  Other comments on economic advantages of producing food for local markets
MARK, Southern Exposure Farm – (6 min)
Topic: Creative farm food distribution models
1.  Defining “Community Supported Agriculture”/ “CSA” (noting that all types of farm products can be sold this way, not just produce)
2.  The story of your farm and business model (why you chose CSA)
3.  Economic viability of producing for local direct sales
JAKE, Johannes Farm – (6 min)
Topic: The decision to sell locally
1.  Your family farm’s story of transition from large acreage row crops to less acreage but more direct local/regional sales
2.  Farm resiliency from diversified products and market outlets (farmers market, wholesale, institutions…)
3.  Tips for farmers interested in marketing locally:
a.  Research target market/customers
b.  Learn growing basics and explore options for season extension
c.  Assess infrastructure needs (eg washing, packing, storage, delivery)
d.  Consider price points – Who are you competing with? Quality increases value and give fresh, local foods an advantage.
e.  Limitations (Jake: not sure what you had in mind for this?)
4.  Mention Hummert display and encourage folks to visit you there
GENE, Brown County Healthy Foods Coalition – (6 min)
Topic: Focus Group Findings: The Local Picture
A. 17 groups, 155 people
1. Demographics
2. Locations
B. Conclusions
1. Farmers Markets
2. Education about preparation and preservation of food. / Myles will monitor with flash cards: 3 minute warning, 1 minute warning, & time’s up.
05:00-05:10 / Cole / Identifying Working Group Topics
Purpose: To introduce the “meal card” activity that will allow participants to identify key topics for working group sessions.
COLE:
1.  Thank panelists & note that Q&A will follow
2.  Have Ron pass out post-its and markers
3.  Reiterate GOAL of FEAST and definition of food system
4.  Explain the “meal card” process and purpose of working groups / Ron, and/or others in the area: distribute post-it notes and markers to participant tables.
05:10-05:40 / Cole
All Panelists
Participants / Question and Answer
Purpose: To begin to engage participants in conversation around food systems, and help them answer key questions before completing and submitting their ‘meal card’ topics.
COLE:
1.  Introduce Q&A Format: Raise hands to ask, panelists raise hands to respond to questions. Both panelists & participants can ask questions.
2.  Begin Q&A Session with this question for panelists: How does what you presented match up with the BCHFC focus group findings?
PANELISTS & PARTICIPANTS:
1.  Raise hands to ask questions and make comments.
2.  Questions can come from within the panel to! / Cole to facilitate & strive to keep conversation ‘food system planning’ focused.
Ron to assist Cole in responding to participant energy level and engagement.
05:40-06:00 / Cole
Cia
Wendell / Transition to Dinner
Purpose: To orient the crowd to where we are, and where and what is for dinner.
COLE:
1.  Introduce Cia, Vice President of Academic Affairs at Highland CC.
CIA:
1.  Speak about Highland CC, Klinefelter Barn, and ag/food related activities.
2.  Introduce Wendell. (Wendell can just wave so folks see who he is)
3.  Discuss what’s being served for dinner (including local sourcing)
4.  Remind everyone to complete just one ‘meal card’ and bring it to dinner
5.  Remind everyone about Hummert display and info table
6.  Ask everyone to remain at tables at 7pm for announcement of topics and where different working groups will be located. / Wendell should step away from meal prep to be present for his introduction.
Cole and Ron will sneak away to grab dinner before the crowd, so they can focus on organizing work outlined below.
Myles can help Cole and Ron if needed.
06:00-06:50 / ALL / Dinner
Purpose: To share a locally sourced meal with folks and allow time for networking.
Location: Outdoor picnic tables.
Enjoy! / VOLUNTEER: Collect meal cards as people are served for dinner – we need to make sure we get one from everyone, if possible.
JAKE: Be available to answer farm production questions at
CIA: Set up board for meal card display
COLE & RON: [MYLES to help]
1. Sort meal cards during dinner.
2. Identify location for each group.
3. Assign ‘point persons’ for each group who will help shepherd folks to the appropriate location for discussion. (eg Matt Young for producers, a Harvester person for food access, Barb/Cheryl for farm to school, etc.)
4. HANDOUT: WG documents (2)
6:50-7:05 / Cole
Ron
Matt
Other working group ‘point persons’ / Transition to Working Groups
Purpose: To introduce working group topics and direct folks to various working group locations.
COLE:
1.  Thanks for the meal (clap clap clap!)
2.  Reiterate observer role vs. local participant role
3.  Introduce selected topics
4.  Introduce point persons for each topic
5.  Direct folks to working group locations / Volunteers will be engaged in clean-up from this point onward, as participants move to small group areas.
7:05-7:45 / ALL / Working Group Discussions
Purpose: To gather information and build community partnerships around strengthening local food systems.
COLE & MATT:
1.  Facilitate the asking of certain questions to different groups (Matt will stay with producer group(s) in separate building)
RON:
1.  Keep Matt and Cole on the same page for when to wrap up. Help gauge participant energy and offer facilitation advice throughout. / COLE/MATT: Questions are asked of groups one at a time, with notes written by a notetaker in each group.
7:45-7:55 / Cole
Ron
Matt / Working Group Wrap-up and Reconvening
Purpose: End working group conversations, wrap up group notes, get all participants back to main room for final presentations.
COLE/RON/MATT: Help groups to:
1.  wrap up their notes and conversation,
2.  nominate a group leader to present on key take-aways,
3.  return to main room for final presentations. / All participants will reconvene in the main barn room.
7:55-8:20 / Working Group Leaders / Working Group Key Take-aways
Purpose: To provide a brief window for a representative from each working group to present to all participants the key take-aways from their discussions.
COLE:
1.  Introduce format and time constraints for leader presentations.
2.  Facilitate sequencing of presentations and keep them within time.
WORKING GROUP LEADERS:
1.  Present on key take-aways for the group in 3 to 5 minutes (depending on time left) / Cole and Ron will calculate how long each leader has to present, based on number of groups and time remaining.
8:20-
8:30 / Steve / Closing Comments
STEVE:
1.  Thank everyone for attending
2.  Thank our hosts again
3.  Inform folks when and how BCHFC will be in touch – ‘this is just the beginning of the conversation’ / That’s all folks!
---- / ---- / ---- / ----
OCT / BCHFC & FEAST S- Comm / Evaluating FEAST and Assessing Next Steps Toward Strengthening the Brown County Food System
In the next 2 weeks: interested Steering Committee members will meet to share feedback on how FEAST went and create a plan for next steps.