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Cultivate Local Food Connections

Cultivate Local Food Connections fosters sustainable food systems by connecting local farmers with communities, promoting healthy eating, and providing educational programs that celebrate seasonal produce and cooking skills.

-CANCELLED- The Lenga Lenga Sampler &amp; Film on the Farm Event is unfortunately cancelled. Good news, though - you will have another chance to try lenga lenga soon! Please join us instead for lenga lenga samples, recipes, and more at the Drake Sprout Garden Fall Harvest Party on Tuesday, September 8th, from 4:30-6:30pm. The Sprout Garden is located at 30th St &amp; Carpenter Ave. We will also have the blender bike there to make salsa with fresh produce from the garden!----Come discover something new at <a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.inharmonyfarm.org/" style="text-decoration-color: currentcolor; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">In Harmony Farm</a> in Earlham! Join us in celebrating Lenga Lenga - Iowa&rsquo;s next super food. Lenga Lenga is a nutrient-packed leafy green enjoyed around the world for its rich flavor and many health benefits. Many of the In Harmony farmers, originally from Central Africa, grow lenga lenga as a staple crop and are excited to inspire more Iowans to bring it into their kitchens as well.&nbsp; We will provide a simple meal for you to try lenga lenga a few different ways with recipes to take with you. Just bring your own lawn chair, grab a bite to eat, and check out the space at In Harmony Farm - a nonprofit empowering up-and-coming farmers to grow healthy food and build thriving farm businesses while using sustainable practices to improve soil health.&nbsp; Around 8pm we will then enjoy an outdoor film screening of Common Ground, followed by a panel discussion with local farmers. About the film: Common Ground is the highly anticipated sequel to the juggernaut success documentary, Kiss the Ground, which touched over 1 billion people globally and inspired the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to put $20 billion toward soil health. By fusing journalistic expose&rsquo; with deeply personal stories from those on the front lines of the food movement, Common Ground unveils a dark web of money, power, and politics behind our broken food system. The film reveals how unjust practices forged our current farm system in which farmers of all colors are literally dying to feed us. The film profiles a hopeful and uplifting movement of white, black, and indigenous farmers who are using alternative &ldquo;regenerative&rdquo; models of agriculture that could balance the climate, save our health, and stabilize America&rsquo;s economy &ndash; before it&rsquo;s too late.

Iowa’s Next Super Food: Lenga Lenga Sampler & Film on the Farm Evening

Join us for a cooking demo class featuring stovetop vegetable forward dishes from September&rsquo;s harvest. More details to come on which vegetables we will highlight closer to the class date.

Harvest Inspiration - Cooking Class Series

October is National Pork Month! Learn about sustainably grown Iowa local pork from Knob Hill Farm. Along with Chef Natalie, we will go over the different pork cuts and what they are good for - followed by a cooking demonstration including: how to pan-fry the classic &amp; perfect shallow-fried tenderloin &amp; pickle slider, marinated seared chop strips with corn-apple slaw, and brown sugar belly pops-on-a-stick!&nbsp; Take home some easy recipes to share at your next party!

Sustainably Grown Iowa Pork - Cooking Class Series

Come befriend squash in all its versatility, textures, and flavor pairings! In this interactive class, we will learn to make a Pan-seared Squash Gnocchi with Browned Butter Sage Sauce.&nbsp; We will also learn about the various types of squash, types of cuts, and how the proper use of the right kind of squash can elevate a simple home meal into a restaurant-quality plate.

Squash: Your New Best Friend - Cooking Class Series

Join us for an immersive class led by herbalist Cal Wolfpack of Profound Existence Herbs. Discover how to incorporate culinary and medicinal herbs into your everyday cooking to enhance both flavor and well-being. Participants will engage in hands-on herb sampling to build familiarity and confidence with a variety of plants. After the session, enjoy a thoughtfully prepared dinner featuring locally sourced ingredients.

Cultivate Local Food Connections

Events

Events

Harvest Inspiration - Cooking Class Series

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Sustainably Grown Iowa Pork - Cooking Class Series

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Squash: Your New Best Friend - Cooking Class Series

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Kitchen Herbalism II

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