“Let’s Eat!”- Food Day Celebration – A success!
On Wednesday October 24, Haverford was one of 283 colleges across the country celebrating Food Day. Haverford’s celebration included a potluck dinner, film screening, and discussion and was a “raging success” according to David Robinson ‘14. More than 100 members of the community, including students, faculty, and staff, came together and conversed while enjoying an abundant supply of homemade food and fresh apple cider. Just when we thought we were running out of gourmet macaroni and cheese, lentil soup, and quiche, eHaus arrived with two large vats of minestrone and plates of corn bread. Many members of The Beet Goes On Co-op cooked with their CSA veggies, and the dining center provided their Sweet Potato Crunch made with local sweet potatoes.
With full stomachs and smiling faces, many guests stayed to watch the short film “Food MythBusters: Do we really need industrial agriculture to feed the world?” (foodmyths.org/food-mythbusters/). The film was followed up with an in-depth discussion about food at Haverford and how it works.
The event united six different food-conscious and environmental groups on campus as co-hosts of the evening: The Beet Goes On, The Committee on Environmental Responsibility, the EarthQuakers, the Haverford Garden Initiative, eHaus, and Quaker House. Sam Shain ‘13 of the Co-op had the initial vision of the Food Day celebration at Haverford and she reflects, “Food Day was such a resounding success because we came together as a community– from planning to cooking to enjoying– many, many heads and hands were at work. We can build a more equitable and sustainable food system, but only if we continue building coalitions and relationships like we did for Food Day. Thanks for making this possible!” Sam and The Beet Goes On are coordinating a Real Food Challenge retreat on November 16th-18th to learn more about “real” food and to develop leadership skills necessary to revolutionize food systems. Contact Sam if you are interested!