A week ago, on October 24th, the nation celebrated Food Day and we saw over 225 campuses unite and spread the message about the importance of "real" food. This kicked off numerous events and even prompted entire Food Weeks to be celebrated on various campuses. Here are more highlights from events that lasted throughout last week.
Tuesday, October 25th, Saint Mary’s College became the first college in the country to officially endorse the Real Food Commitment, a pledge to purchase at least 20 percent “real food” by 2020, increase transparency and engage more students and community members in the process. College President Carol Ann Mooney and Barry Bowles, director of dining services (Sodexo), signed the Commitment at 12 on Tuesday, October 25 in the Noble Family Dining Hall of the Student Center. Local media were in attendance.
The endorsement is part of the student-driven Food Day, which will also offered special meals and events open to the public. The goal of Food Day, according to the website foodday.org, is to transform the American diet by inspiring a broad movement of people who want healthy, affordable food produced in a sustainable, humane way.
“Saint Mary’s is pleased to partner with our food service provider, Sodexo, on this national effort to promote healthy eating. I was very pleased to learn that we are already close to complying with this organization’s goals,” said Mooney.
“This will be a great step in sustainability practices at Saint Mary’s, and Dining Services is committed to the challenge because it is the right thing to do,” said Bowles. He said the challenge’s vision is much the same as Dining Services’. “Students would be surprised with the effort the chef makes to purchase in-season local produce to incorporate into the dining hall menus. We have partnered with Shelton’s Produce in Niles, Michigan, for flexible ordering and more local products.”
Submitted by Real Food Challenge on Mon, 10/24/2011 - 16:27
Today is Food Day. Student leaders on 220 campuses around the country are taking action. Together, we're sending a powerful message--food justice can't wait. We want real food now. Want to get in on the fun? Here's three easy ways:
(3) Use Food Day to educate your campus about it--dining managers, students, everyone!
On Food Day, October 24th, students on over 200 college campuses nation-wide spoke in one voice, calling--for a more just and sustainable food system.
Food Day also marked a new phase in this student movement--the launch of our GET REAL! Campaign. This new campaign builds on over three years of powerful student action, including successes like these:
Western Washington University -- students got support for real food initiatives written into their multi-year, multi-million dollar food service contract.
University of California -- students successfully pushed for a system-wide policy that mandates sustainable food purchases at all 10 campuses (including five big medical centers!)
Carlton, UNC-Chapel Hill, University of Vermont and more -- use the Real Food Calculator to shed light on exactly what businesses their meal plan dollars are going to, and then push for more local, organic, fair trade options
All told, we've gotten our schools to commit upwards of $34 million to real food! We are making a powerful difference--in the health of our fellow students, in our local communities, and for family farmers at home and abroad.
The Get Real! Campaign is an effort to amplify our voices and power by rallying around a new, unified statement: every university president in the country should sign a Real Food Campus Commitment and have their institution become a leader in the real food movement.
The Real Food Campus Commitment--constructed by students and experts in the field--is a formal agreement, signed by university presidents, that lays out a clear set of baseline targets around food procurement, transparency and student leadership (the key issues we've always fought for). The Commitment also lays out a process and time line for execution, providing a single, uniform model, so you won't have to reinvent the wheel.
The Campus Commitment also maintains that every campus is and should be unique. Each campus will have to craft their own campus-specific real food policy. As part of the Commitment process, real food campaigners will also have to pull together key student groups and supportive faculty, staff and administrators into a food systems working group. Together that group will craft a multi-year action plan that aligns the school's food choices with their unique values, strengths and ambitions.
Yesterday, over 225 campuses in 46 states and 4 countries united to celebrate the first ever FOOD Day and to fight for real food on their campuses! After months of dedication, passion, excitement and hard work, events across the nation highlighted the increasing need for a transformed food system in America, starting on college campuses. For its first year, this was an overwhelmingly great response and it truly reflects the desire of college students to be at the forefront of the food movement.
What's next?We are excited to have offically launched our Get Real! Campaign asking colleges and universities to commit to shift $1 billion in food purchasing to real sources by 2020! Check out how YOU can bring real food to your campus.
Read on to catch a glimpse into what colleges and universities did to celebrate Food Day 2011!
**Send your Food Day Story to foodday@realfoodchallenge.org**
University of Alaska, Fairbanks
In Fairbanks, Alaska, Food Day was recognized with an official proclamation signed by Mayor Luke Hopkins that recognizes the major principles of Food Day, such as access to real food and farm worker rights. The UAF School of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences, Cooperative Extension Service and the UAF Anthropology Society hosted events throughout the day for students, staff and faculty members. They hosted an “Iron Chef” cook-off dubbed “Surf and Turf” between the dean of the agriculture school and the dean of the fisheries school. The dean of the fisheries school was victorious with his spotted shrimp dish, however it was a close competition with a reindeer steak cooked by the dean of the ag school. They also hosted a Food Jeopardy game and set up a Taste of Alaska booth as part of a series of food demonstrations and exhibits. The Alaskan cuisine featured grass fed beef, cold smoked salmon, lettuce, tomatoes, rutabagas, onions, carrots, potatoes, cabbage. The Dining Services prepared the food beautifully in kabobs, soups, stews, roasted vegetables. The students in the Anthropology Society showed the films, “Seeds of Deception” and “Fresh,” and hosted lectures on sustainability, fermenting food and ethnobotany. It was a great beginning and they hope to continue their efforts on campus to ensure real food for students and staff.
University of Maryland, College Park
Real Food activists at the University of Maryland kicked off Food Day with a display of giant paper-mache vegetables on McKeldin Mall, as well as a photo petition asking administrators for more real food options in the dining halls. Later that night, students and community members gathered on the South Campus Rooftop Garden to share in a meal, teach-in, and a concert. The Real Food UMD group had a lot of success starting campus gardens last year, and they're gearing up to start asking the administration to sign onto the Commitment, as well as starting an internship program for people who want to work on the Real Food Calculator.
James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA
JMU kicked-off their week-long series of events with a Commons day, where local food-related organizations like Friendly City Food Co-op, Virginia Cooperative Extension and some of its organizational partners Master Gardeners, Master Food Volunteers, and the Family Nutrition Program, set up informational tables to show students what food initiatives are already in the area. They also kicked off their week-long Activism Table that features petitions asking congressmen to reform the Farm Bill and to support GMO labeling. They held a Photo Campaign and accepted applications for a school-wide cookbook that will be published and handed out for free after the week is over. Later this week they will screen a student-produced documentary on undergrads interning at alternative farms as well as "American Meet" followed by a panel discussion. Food activist and author of "Comfortable Unaware," Dr. Richard Oppelander, will lecture on the environmental impact of food choices in our agricultural system.
Baker University, Bladwin City, KS
Baker University is celebrating Food Day with a full week of events under the name “Food in the Nude.” They kicked off the week on Sunday, October 23rd with Cornelia Floradistinguished professor of agriculture and sociology at Iowa State University, speaking climate change, food security and food sovereignty. They celebrated on Monday with a Real Food Information Fair featuring local organic farmers, diet and disease specialists, food activists, Baker Farm Hands, a Baldwin Food Pantry representative, and the dining services purchaser as well as a screening of the documentary, “Dirt.” The rest of the week will include a workshop on sustainable growing practices, a virtual farm tour featuring local growers and producers, a special performance on real food topics by a speech choir group and a volunteer day at farms in the area. This week is part of a general goal of building awareness and interest in the local farm industry and building lasting and valuable relationships between Baker University and the local farming community.
Lehman College, NYC
Lehman's Food Day was celebrated by more than 200 people on our campus. The theme was ‘Healthy snacking for students on the run’ and the goal was to educate students to make healthier choices. The main host, the Institute for Healthy Equity, has been trying to minimize the health disparities on campus and in the Bronx and eventually they desire to replace the current vending machine snacks with healthy options. The Institute and the Lehman Dietetic Club gave out free healthy food samples to help inform students about smart snack choices. The Cornel co-op demonstrated the sugar consumption in unhealthy foods and showed students that we can definitely cut the amount of sugar intake by selecting something else rather than snacks in the vending machines. Food Day helped us to encourage students to realize that real food is needed on the campus and the work students are doing with RFC and the Real Food Calculator are vital projects.
University of Arizona, Tucson
The University of Arizona celebrated Food Day with a Food Fest as part of a larger goal to improve the environmental quality of the food served on campus. Not only are they working to increase the amount of local and organic food served but they are also producing local native food. The first annual harvest of pods from campus mesquite trees took place in July 2011. As part of Food Fest, they screened the proactive film Forks Over Knives to a full house. Following the film we hosted a panel discussion with local food experts that weighed in on the documentary and other food-related issues. In addition, a locally grown, three-course meal was provided for the Tucson community during the Santa Cruz Harvest Dinner. A huge perk for students: “Eat Real” Cooking on Campus. Our celebrity UA chef, Tim Stevens, presented students with a food demo on how to prepare locally grown foods. Wrapping up Food Fest, a tour of the University of Arizona’s Community Garden was available along with food and music during our Perk up at the Park event. Food Fest worked to initial “eating real” amongst students and the community.
University of Wisconsin, Green Bay
On Food Day students at UWGB provided a free luncheon for the students, staff, and faculty with food provided by local sources. The menu included apple cider and pulled pork sandwiches as well as several sides. They also hosted local businesses and food groups who sold and gave away free samples off their menus. They were especially excited to partner with a new local food co-op called New Leaf Market that will be opening in downtown Green Bay. Food Day also provided them with a great opportunity to work more closely with the director of food purchases on their campus. He was able to connect them with local farmers and vendors as well as speak about the ease and availability of local foods in the area. Food Day was an extremely successful day for UWGB. They were able to educate students about the value of having real food in our dining halls and they hope this momentum will carry over to even more food justice work on their campus.
University of Alabama
In celebration of Food Day, University of Alabama students will be spreading the message of real food to students. They are hoping to see their administration sign the Real Food Commitment, pledging to have 20% real food available in dining halls by 2020.The University of Alabama Environmental Council’s goal is to both build awareness and support within the student body for this commitment. They will be conducting a photo petition and passing out info about the six Food Day Principles. They will also be screening Fresh on campus and having a discussion afterwards. The students were able to get the University Dining, BamaDining, involved. They will be serving "real" food (local, organic, vegetarian, healthy) at three different dining halls and providing info on their real practices to students. After building support through the Food Day celebration, University of Alabama students hope that the administration will see the need to sign the Real Food Commitment.
Pomona, Claremont, CA
Pomona College Dining Services celebrated Food Day by welcoming farmers from Weiser Family Farms to campus. The dinner event featured locally and sustainably produced vegetables (purple potatoes, golden beets, orange Kabocha squash, watermelon radishes, baby DeCicco broccoli) from Weiser Family Farms and a presentation from the farmers. Prior to the talk, students had the opportunity to meet with the farmers while enjoying the menu. Pomona College Dining Services is proud to facilitate relationships between the farmers and students.
Lewis and Clark, Portland, OR
L&C Law School hosted a lunchtime speaker in honor of Food Day. Cathy McQueeney, from Friends of Family Farmers, spoke about the challenges and opportunities that independent farmers face in practicing sustainable and responsible small-scale agriculture - and how they get the delicious food they produce TO YOUR PLATE. We served a vegan-friendly potluck but also invited students and staff to bring their favorite real food dish to share. This Food Day event fit into Lewis & Clark Law School's push into the world of food and food policy - our Environmental Law Caucus has begun a school garden, and they have student groups working on sustainable agriculture and pesticide issues through the Northwest Environmental Defense Center. As a preeminent environmental law school, they're focused on ALL aspects of the environment - and they're excited to keep exploring food policy issues through events and initiatives like Food Day.
University of Texas, Austin
The Slow Food chapter at the University of Texas at Austin along with Oxfam, the Student Dietetic Association, and the UT gardening committee, hosted a showing of documentary "Dive!" at the UT community garden on Monday evening. Donations were collected to be given to one of Austin's prominent food banks. "Dive!" explores the world behind consumption; waste. The film follows 'dumpster diver' Jeremy Selfert as he exposes the unbelievable amount of edible food trashed in Los Angelos's grocery stores. Austin is a food-centric city, and this is reflected on the University of Texas campus. Slow Food holds bi-monthly general meetings to promote advocacy of local food. This semester, Slow Food has brought Jack Mills, a bee keeper in the area, and representatives from "Slow Money" to speak on campus. Slow Food and Oxfam both participate in the UT community garden and frequently volunteer at outside farms. For the national Food Day, the collaborators sought to emphasize the importance of discussing food insecurity, production, consumption, and waste. A catch-all, "Think globally, and act locally". Much love from the Food Day organizers at UT!
University of California, Davis
At UC Davis, student groups have been working hard in preparation for Food Day. Former Real Food Challenge regional organizer Genna Lipari has taken a lead, along with Flatland Food Collective member Kase Wheatley. Food Day was kicked off at the Coffee House, or CoHo, as its known on campus. Students have collected donations of chard, kale, pears, tomatoes, and squash from local farms including UC Davis's Student Farm, Good Humus, Capay Organic, Coco Ranch and the Cloverleaf at Bridgeway farms. UC Davis' Food Day festivities included free food: kale salad, vegan ratatouille, apple muffins, pear crisp, and fruit smoothies blended by the Flatland Food Collective's pedal-powered blender. Ryan Galt, a food systems professor, spoke that evening followed by a screening of "The Greenhorns", a documentary about young farmers. UC Davis's Food Day celebration is sponsored by ASI (the Agricultural Sustainability Institute) and EPPC (Environmental Policy and Planning Commission).
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Food Day Events were also all over the news. Here's a few stories on Real Food Challenge Grassroots Leaders:
Jessica Baltmanas is a guest blogger from University of California, San Diego and also a Campus Coordinator for Food Day! Below is the second post in a three part blog series leading up to October 24 in which she will walk us through her journey in the real food movement. Take a look at her first post here.
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Hi everyone! I hope planning your campus events has been progressing well and that you're enjoying the first days of Fall! There's been quite the progress in planning Food Day events at UC San Diego!
To contextualize the climate on my campus (literal and figurative), UCSD is located in La Jolla, close to the Pacific Ocean and boasting beautiful weather. Today is a gloomy day with drizzle, but we will get through it :) My campus mascot is a Triton, is full of imported eucalyptus trees and known for our 8-floor Geisel library, named for Theodor Geisel (Dr. Suess) and was featured in the movie Inception. Here, our favorite pastime is studying. If we're not talking about it, you know we are thinking about it. But not only do we love to learn, we have also been rated as the top national public university for "giving back". This is our culture- studying and service, and a few things in between. We have about 23,000 undergraduate students and 4,000 graduate students. With the workers and faculty included, our campus footprint is about 40,000 people each day. Yes, we are a city!
Although I would love if my campus felt more like a community, my two years here have not given me that experience. I hope the new admits bring a new energy, but it can be somewhat of a challenge to find a tight community here. Once someone finds it, it's golden! Those communities are often formed around student organizations such as food-minded orgs.
Who's behind the Real Food Challenge? Who's been planning the 6 regional trainingsthis summer? Who's behind the big Food Day mobilization? Who's your biggest ally in making real food change on your campus?
These guys:
Estefanía Narváez, Northeast Coordinator
Estefania graduated in December 2010 from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, which she mobilized to become one of the first Fair Trade Universities in the country.Being born and raised in Ecuador nurtured her lifelong concern for justice. She is an organizer and activist passionate about making real changes to build sustainable food systems, alleviate poverty and hunger, and to let our world breathe some clean air. After a long time of shifting from one home to another, she is now settled in Boston supporting student food justice initiatives in the Northeast. When she is not organizing she is dancing salsa, eating Ecuadorean food and riding her bike in the sun. Contact her at stefy@realfoodchallenge.org
Carmen Black, Midwest Field Organizer Growing up in rural Iowa, food and farming were basic parts of life, and Carmen learned a lot about corn, pigs, and what to cook for potlucks in churches. As her curiosity about the world outside of Solon, Iowa grew, so did her interest in social justice and peace. This lead her to Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana where she majored in Peace and Global Studies and Spanish. While living at the Earlham student-operated Miller Farm, she was able to see the connection between her interest in peace studies and her passion for food and farming. She now feels passionately about spreading the Real Food Challenge all over the Midwest, where so much food is grown. She also loves, goats, dancing, Indonesian Gamelan music, and making pie. Sometime this fall or winter she will be moving to the mountains of Eastern Kentucky, and is looking forward to bringing RFC to Appalachia as well! Contact here at carmen@realfoodchallenge.org
When we took the Freedom Rides as inspiration, we didn’t actually expect to have a run-in with Mississippi police. Our journey, the Food and Freedom Ride, was about honoring the anniversary of a heroic journey while also drawing attention to one of the biggest issues facing our generation: the dearth of real food in our communities and the resulting health, environmental, and economic crises.
On Friday, August 5th, two days before the Food and Freedom Ride began, one of the riders, Courtney Oats, was arrested on a charge of “disorderly conduct” in her hometown of Eupora, Mississippi, before she could even join us. The arrest occurred at her sister’s 14th birthday party in front of 50 children. Tasers were drawn and K-9 units were called in.
Oxfam calls for investigation into forced eviction of more than 20,000 Ugandans to make way for international company’s plantations
[Re-posted from Oxfam America]
Washington, D.C.- The fast growing pace of land deals brokered around the world often comes at the expense of poor communities who lose their homes and livelihoods – sometimes violently – with no prior consultation, compensation or means of appeal, says a new report released today by international relief and development organization Oxfam.
In developing countries as many as 560 million acres of land, an area greater than the size of California, Texas, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and Wyoming combined, have been sold, leased or licensed in large-scale land deals since 2001, mostly by international investors, according to the report Land and Power.
Lack of transparency and secrecy that surrounds these deals makes it difficult to get exact figures but preliminary research suggests that half of these acquisitions are in Africa, and cover an area nearly the size of Germany. However, many of the deals are in fact ‘land grabs’ where the rights and needs of the people living on the land are ignored, leaving them homeless and without land to grow enough food to eat and make a living.
“Land investment should be good news for people in poverty, but the frenetic scramble for land risks taking development in reverse,” said Raymond C. Offenheiser, President of Oxfam America. “Investors have increasingly set their sights on land often ignoring the people who live there and depend on it to survive. This unprecedented drive is leaving many of the world’s poorest people worse, not better-off.”
Taylor Owen is a guest blogger from Carleton College in Northfield Minnesota and he is also a Campus Coordinator for Food Day. Below is the first post in a blog series leading up to October 24 in which he will be reflecting on his work and the importance of the food movement.
When I first heard about Food Day, my interest was instantly intrigued. As I imagine most people involved in the Real Food Challenge are, I have been concerned more and more with the issues of food. Food Day seemed like a perfect chance for food activists like myself to bring our issue to the center of the campus discourse. It is only fair that food gets its day. If we look at the food systems of our era, the huge problems they face are evidence that giving attention to food only three times a day isn’t enough. Food, as an issue, needs at least a whole 24 hours of serious reflection. I have been trying to make Food Day that critical day for my campus ever since I discovered it.
I will be organizing Food Day at Carleton College where I will invite a diverse group of students, with opinions towards food that range the gamut. I hope to inspire conscientious students to more actively pressure their community to move in the direction of Real Food. I also hope to motivate as many students as possible to take advantage of the Real Food we’re lucky enough to receive on my campus; I hope they do this at the expense of the factory-farmed food, inorganic, unseasonal food shipped from far away - food that exists as the result of unfair labor practices. If I see results on both fronts, and hopefully come away from Food Day well fed, then I will know that Carleton had a successful first Food Day.
The endorsement is part of the student-driven Food Day, which will also offered special meals and events open to the public. The goal of Food Day, according to the website 
In Fairbanks, Alaska, Food Day was recognized with an official proclamation signed by Mayor Luke Hopkins that recognizes the major principles of Food Day, such as access to real food and farm worker rights. The UAF School of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences, Cooperative Extension Service and the UAF Anthropology Society hosted events throughout the day for students, staff and faculty members. They hosted an “Iron Chef” cook-off dubbed “Surf and Turf” between the dean of the agriculture school and the dean of the fisheries school. The dean of the fisheries school was victorious with his spotted shrimp dish, however it was a close competition with a reindeer steak cooked by the dean of the ag school. They also hosted a Food Jeopardy game and set up a Taste of Alaska booth as part of a series of food demonstrations and exhibits. The Alaskan cuisine featured grass fed beef, cold smoked salmon, lettuce, tomatoes, rutabagas, onions, carrots, potatoes, cabbage. The Dining Services prepared the food beautifully in kabobs, soups, stews, roasted vegetables. The students in the Anthropology Society showed the films, “Seeds of Deception” and “Fresh,” and hosted lectures on sustainability, fermenting food and ethnobotany. It was a great beginning and they hope to continue their efforts on campus to ensure real food for students and staff.
Real Food activists at the University of Maryland kicked off Food Day with a display of giant paper-mache vegetables on McKeldin Mall, as well as a photo petition asking administrators for more real food options in the dining halls. Later that night, students and community members gathered on the South Campus Rooftop Garden to share in a meal, teach-in, and a concert. The Real Food UMD group had a lot of success starting campus gardens last year, and they're gearing up to start asking the administration to sign onto the Commitment, as well as starting an internship program for people who want to work on the Real Food Calculator.
JMU kicked-off their week-long series of events with a Commons day, where local food-related organizations like Friendly City Food Co-op, Virginia Cooperative Extension and some of its organizational partners Master Gardeners, Master Food Volunteers, and the Family Nutrition Program, set up informational tables to show students what food initiatives are already in the area. They also kicked off their 
week-long Activism Table that features petitions asking congressmen to reform the Farm Bill and to support GMO labeling. They held a Photo Campaign and accepted applications for a school-wide cookbook that will be published and handed out for free after the week is over. Later this week they will screen a student-produced documentary on undergrads interning at alternative farms as well as "American Meet" followed by a panel discussion. Food activist and author of "Comfortable Unaware," Dr. Richard Oppelander, will lecture on the environmental impact of food choices in our agricultural system. 
Lehman's Food Day was celebrated by more than 200 people on our campus. The theme was ‘Healthy snacking for students on the run’ and the goal was to educate students to make healthier choices. The main host, the Institute for Healthy Equity, has been trying to minimize the health disparities on campus and in the Bronx and eventually they desire to replace the current vending machine snacks with healthy options. The Institute and the Lehman Dietetic Club gave out free healthy food samples to help inform students about smart snack choices. The Cornel co-op demonstrated the sugar consumption in unhealthy foods and showed students that we can definitely cut the amount of sugar intake by selecting something else rather than snacks in the vending machines. Food Day helped us to encourage students to realize that real food is needed on the campus and the work students are doing with RFC and the Real Food Calculator are vital projects. 
The University of Arizona celebrated Food Day with a Food Fest as part of a larger goal to improve the environmental quality of the food served on campus. Not only are they working to increase the amount of local and organic food served but they are also producing local native food. The first annual harvest of pods from campus mesquite trees took place in July 2011. As part of Food Fest, they screened the proactive film Forks Over Knives to a full house. Following the film we hosted a panel discussion with local food experts that weighed in on the documentary and other food-related issues. In addition, a locally grown, three-course meal was provided for the Tucson community during the Santa Cruz Harvest Dinner. A huge perk for students: “Eat Real” Cooking on Campus. Our celebrity UA chef, Tim Stevens, presented students with a food demo on how to prepare locally grown foods. Wrapping up Food Fest, a tour of the University of Arizona’s Community Garden was available along with food and music during our Perk up at the Park event. Food Fest worked to initial “eating real” amongst students and the community.
The Slow Food chapter at the University of Texas at Austin along with Oxfam, the Student Dietetic Association, and the UT gardening committee, hosted a showing of documentary "Dive!" at the UT community garden on Monday evening. Donations were collected to be given to one of Austin's prominent food banks. "Dive!" explores the world behind consumption; waste. The film follows 'dumpster diver' Jeremy Selfert as he exposes the unbelievable amount of edible food trashed in Los Angelos's grocery stores. Austin is a food-centric city, and this is reflected on the University of Texas campus. Slow Food holds bi-monthly general meetings to promote advocacy of local food. This semester, Slow Food has brought Jack Mills, a bee keeper in the area, and representatives from "Slow Money" to speak on campus. Slow Food and Oxfam both participate in the UT community garden and frequently volunteer at outside farms. For the national Food Day, the collaborators sought to emphasize the importance of discussing food insecurity, production, consumption, and waste. A catch-all, "Think globally, and act locally". Much love from the Food Day organizers at UT!
At UC Davis, student groups have been working hard in preparation for Food Day. Former Real Food Challenge regional organizer Genna Lipari has taken a lead, along with Flatland Food Collective member Kase Wheatley. Food Day was kicked off at the Coffee House, or CoHo, as its known on campus. Students have collected donations of chard, kale, pears, tomatoes, and squash from local farms including UC Davis's Student Farm, Good Humus, Capay Organic, Coco Ranch and the Cloverleaf at Bridgeway farms. UC Davis' Food Day festivities included free food: kale salad, vegan ratatouille, apple muffins, pear crisp, and fruit smoothies blended by the Flatland Food Collective's pedal-powered blender. Ryan Galt, a food systems professor, spoke that evening followed by a screening of "The Greenhorns", a documentary about young farmers. UC Davis's Food Day celebration is sponsored by ASI (the Agricultural Sustainability Institute) and EPPC (Environmental Policy and Planning Commission). 
movie Inception. Here, our favorite pastime is studying. If we're not talking about it, you know we are thinking about it. But not only do we love to learn, we have also been rated as the top national public university for "
Estefania graduated in December 2010 from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, which she mobilized to become one of the first Fair Trade Universities in the country.Being born and raised in Ecuador nurtured her lifelong concern for justice. She is an organizer and activist passionate about making real changes to build sustainable food systems, alleviate poverty and hunger, and to let our world breathe some clean air. After a long time of shifting from one home to another, she is now settled in Boston supporting student food justice initiatives in the Northeast. When she is not organizing she is dancing salsa, eating Ecuadorean food and riding her bike in the sun. Contact her at 
Growing up in rural Iowa, food and farming were basic parts of life, and Carmen learned a lot about corn, pigs, and what to cook for potlucks in churches. As her curiosity about the world outside of Solon, Iowa grew, so did her interest in social justice and peace. This lead her to Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana where she majored in Peace and Global Studies and Spanish. While living at the Earlham student-operated Miller Farm, she was able to see the connection between her interest in peace studies and her passion for food and farming. She now feels passionately about spreading the Real Food Challenge all over the Midwest, where so much food is grown. She also loves, goats, dancing, Indonesian Gamelan music, and making pie. Sometime this fall or winter she will be moving to the mountains of Eastern Kentucky, and is looking forward to bringing RFC to Appalachia as well! Contact here at 
