HELP MAP OUR FOOD SYSTEM!

As part of the Food Assessment we'll be mapping out the food resources in our cities and towns from food pantries to farms to grocery stores.

We are looking to identify any place where a person can access food and WE NEED YOUR HELP!

These food maps will not only include the resources that are more visible like Thriftway and Safeway, but those that are harder to find like community gardens, school greenhouses and more.

The categories created for tagged locations include:

• Chain Grocery Store (Wal Mart, Rays, etc.)
• Local Grocery Store/Corner Market (Ex: Nature's Market or the Metolius Market)
• Fast Food (Burger King, etc.)
• Sit-Down Restaurant (Black Bear Diner, etc.)
• Emergency Food Site (Hot Meal Site, Food Pantry, etc.)
• Community Garden (Any single piece of land gardened by a group of people)
• Convenience Store (7-11, etc.)
• School Garden or Greenhouse
• Farm or Ranch

TO VIEW THE MAPS BY COUNTY:

• CROOK CO. MAP
• JEFFERSON CO. MAP
• DESCHUTES CO. MAP

TO TAG A SITE ON THE MAPS:

http://www.communitywalk.com/

You must first log in to the site. Creating an account only takes a few seconds and requires very little information.

1. Click the link above.
2. Then click "Login" in the top right corner.

ONCE YOU ARE LOGGED IN:

The first time you do this you'll have to click the link for each county to get to the map. Then you'll be able to add them to "my maps."

1. Click the tab at the top that says "BUILD THIS MAP"
2. Click "Add Marker" next to "Tools:"
3. You can try the "Search" option and try to look up the site the same way you would on a search engine like Google.
4. If it does not come up under "Search" then you can add it by typing in the address under "by Address."
5. Once the site has been identified, choose the category that it falls into and click save.
6. CONGRATULATIONS! You've now helped us build our food systems map and better understand our food environment.

TIP:
If you are having trouble finding the site, try zooming into the specific town or area that it is located.

Questions or Comment:
Please let me know of any questions or comments you mights have about this process. This is a new tool we are trying, so any feedback is great!

C.O. Community Food Assessment In the News

Letter to the Editor in Thursday's issue of the Bend Bulletin

Mention in this week's Source article about local farm issues.

*NEW* LOCAL Interactive Food Network Website Being Developed

Sarahlee Lawrence, of Rainshadow Organics Farm in Terrebonne, is developing a Central Oregon food network website as a resource for our community!

"This FREE, virtual, interactive food network website will connect small local farmers and ranchers with the distributors and consumers of Central Oregon. It will enable our community to build a local food economy with a central place for information, products, educational information, and events. There will be a comprehensive directory of all producers and distributors and anyone in between. This website will be a place where growers can post their products as they become available. This will enable farmers and ranchers to better meet volume needs for grocery stores and restaurants. The website would also provide a discussion forum for the community to exchange information about crops and experiments; pool resources such as bulk purchase of seeds and organic fertilizers to reduce input costs; It will also list harvest days, farmers market, seasonal products, supportive restaurants and stores; posting of events, workshops, news, instructional videos, photo galleries, classifieds, and other useful links. "

"Each farm/ranch... will have a listing in the directory. The listing will not be editable by you, but you can request that I edit it. The information provided in the directory should be things that are not likely to change. For things that do change, ie: postings of new products... daily... weekly... there will be a forum section that you have complete access to. If you do not have a website for your farm that the food network can link to, I really recommend having a local harvest listing. It is free, straight forward, and a great place to start!"

Sarahlee needs your help!

If you would like to have your farm listed on her site, send her an email with the following information:

For Producers:

1. Who you are: Farm name, Products, history, what you are doing, how do your market/distribute your product

2. Contact information: Name, address, phone, email, farm website

3. Topics of interest: Things you would like to share or would be willing to write about; subjects you want to learn more about.

an example:::: if you could put your information into this format, that would be great

Farm name: Capay Organic, YOUR WEBSITE
Wide variety of organic fruit, vegetables, flowers.... CSA.... Beef... (this should be brief, then followed with a comprehensive product/price sheet at the bottom

Location: this could be address/city...

Contact: Noah Barnes

Phone/Email: 530.304.4244 (info), 530.681.3184 (orders), 530.796.3344 (fax), noah@farmfreshtoyou.com

Who we are: We have been in central oregon for ... years... our "mission statement"... why farming/ranching is important to us... something personal.

Delivery/Pick-up: Delivery: Bend (Tu, Th, Sat), Redmond (Sat). Pick-up: SF Ferry Building (Mon-Sun)

Ordering Info: Place orders by phone or fax in the morning the day before delivery. Availability list faxed twice a week. $2.50 fee for split cases. $100 minimum for delivery.

Set Up Account: Contact Noah by phone.
Product/Price Sheet

"I also need PHOTOS!!!!!!! At least one photo to go with your farm profile. And any others you would be willing to have posted on the website... "

sarahlee.lawrence@gmail.com

541-279-0841

Household Food Security Versus Community Food Security

Last week the USDA found the highest levels of food insecurity in the U.S. since they began the report in 1995.

Food security measures a range of experiences around one’s access to food from the sensation of hunger to concern over having enough money to buy food.

This is a local issue. The state of Oregon was ranked second in the nation for rates of "very low food security," having seen a 69% increase since 2006. These numbers are almost certainly higher now since the 2006-2008 report does not reflect the repercussions of the 2009 recession. Read more about this here.

Increases in household food security signal the need for a focus on building community food security: creating the conditions necessary, at a local level, to ensure that all community members can access safe healthy food through a sustainable food system.

What is a community food assessment??

A community food assessment is the first step in local food systems planning.

While community food assessments are relatively new and vary greatly as they are intended to fit diverse community needs and characteristics, there is a set of key principles which guide the process:

1. Examines a broad range of food issues and the links between these issues and community goals. Issues can range from improving emergency food access to increasing community health and nutrition, from expanding sustainable local food production to providing more gardening resources and education to residents.

2. Is a practical tool with practical applications. Unlike traditional research, a community food assessment is carried out with the intentions of gathering the information, community input and participation necessary to support and build concrete actions to improve community food security and enhance the local food system.

3. Is a planned and systematic process of gathering information about and analyzing community food issues. The process involves a combination of gathering existing data and collecting new information through a variety of methods from survey to discussion. The information is then analyzed and compiled in a report which will be shared with the community and serve as a platform to create community food projects to address identified needs and utilize existing resources.

4. Focuses on both needs and strengths. The process allows a community to solve local problems with local resources and therefore builds local capacity and self-reliance.

5. Emphasizes collaboration and includes broad community participation. Everyone eats=Everyone has a stake in our local food system. Our food system is about people, relationships and resources and involves a wide array of players from producers and grocers to community health agencies, schools, local government and many more. It is essential that the assessment be community-based with local voices driving its focus and direction.

Introduction to Project Coordinators

Wy'East Resource Conservation & Development helps build sustainable rural communities to improve and enhance social, economic, and natural resources in the Columbia River Gorge, Mid-Columbia and Central Oregon.

Last year Wy'East launched its Community Food Systems project with a VISTA volunteer promoting community gardens and conducting a Community Food Assessment in the Columbia River Gorge and Mid-Columbia region. This year Wy'East has brought on another VISTA volunteer, based out of Redmond, to conduct a Community Food Assesment for Central Oregon.

Wy'East also runs a highly successful Micro Enterprise Facilitation service providing free, confidential and professional small business advice to aspiring entrepreneurs and existing enterprises. In addition, Wy'East projects focus on Cooperative Watershed Health Conservation and Agriculture Energy Management.

For more information visit http://www.wyeast-rcd.org/default.aspx


Founded in 1985, NeighborImpact is a private nonprofit organization established to serve and speak out for economically disadvantaged people in Central Oregon. Our mission is to break the cycle of poverty by helping remove the barriers that prevent people from achieving economic self-sufficiency.

NeighorImpact is a key player in the Central Oregon Food System, home to the region's Food Bank which serves Crook, Deschutes, and Jefferson County emergency food providers. NeighborImpact bringing nearly 25 years of experience working with low-income Central Oregonians running Head Start programs and providing emergency, housing, weatherization, and childcare services.

NeighborImpact recognizes the need for self-sufficiency in light of the new economic climate and increased emergency food needs; their role in the assessment process will expand on the vital work of the Food Bank.

For more information visit: http://www.neighborimpact.org/

Welcome to the Central Oregon Community Food Assessment Blog!

This blog will serve as a space to learn about, follow and participate in the Central Oregon Community Food Assessment process. In addition, I will post videos, links, relevant news and more to promote education around community food issues.