Tennessee Local Food Summit to Host First In-Person Gathering Since 2019

Reprinted from Nashville Scene – CHRIS CHAMBERLAIN – OCT 21, 2022

A lot has happened since the Tennessee Local Food Summit was forced to go virtual in 2020. Jeff Poppen, known colloquially as “The Barefoot Farmer,” passed on the reins of leadership after years of spearheading the movement to support Middle Tennessee’s farm economy and to educate the eating public that the region once fed itself almost exclusively off of local farms and could again. The organization officially acquired 501(c)3 nonprofit status and hired Natalie Ashker Seevers as its first executive director.

Now, they’re ready to host the first in-person summit since 2019 — the organization and fans will convene Dec. 2 through 4 at Cumberland University’s Alumni Hall in Lebanon, Tenn. Among the keynote speakers will be Ira Wallace, an educator, gardener and author who manages Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, a cooperatively owned seed company. She’ll be joined by Jim Embry, a farmer, activist, and director of Sustainable Communities Network in Lexington, Ky.

Other sustainable farming and food experts will present lectures and workshops throughout the summit under the overarching theme of “Weaving Webs of Connection.” They will address questions like: How are we working together to create the future we want to see? How do we address the most critical challenges of access to land and capital facing next-generation and BIPOC farmers? How do we expand access to locally grown foods and ensure the distribution is equitable, serving the communities that most need it?

The list of workshops and speakers is still being finalized, but among the planned seminar topics are: organizing around the 2023 Farm Bill; land access for small farmers; faith communities and food justice; value added from the garden; decentralizing our food system; farm stress and mental health; food access strategies; and more.

There will also be plenty of opportunities to eat and network with other summit attendees who share interests in revitalizing the regional farm economy, with a special emphasis on smaller operations. A vendor trade show will showcase products and services that are important to raising up local farmers and farmers.

Full conference registration is $125 and includes access to all the educational events, the trade show, cooking demos and locally sourced meals. Single-day registrations are also available at lower prices if you just want to make a day trip to Lebanon, but they’ve also provided a guide to lodging and dining options in the charming town.

Scholarships to defray registration costs are available for for growers, food system stakeholders, and people interested in creating an equitable food system, with priority given to those who identify as Black, indigenous, and people of color. Scholarship applications will be accepted until Nov. 15 and can be submitted at the Tennessee Local Food Summit’s website.