Do you ever wonder how we, as consumers, can be more aware and responsible about the meat we eat? What can farmers do to sustainably increase their production and provide more local meat to the region? How can funders and policy makers help facilitate and support the changes necessary to increase production in our region? Can restaurants and local businesses bring more local meat onto their menu while still remaining affordable to consumers?
After the success of the 2014 conference where over 400 people met to celebrate and discuss our local food system, Farm Food Fork returns in 2015 for a one day event focused on the pressing issue of producing local meat.
The daytime event will engage STEAKholders in some of the key issues around meat production, including; best practice animal management, local abattoirs, capacity building, capital investment and feed sourcing. Our keynote presenter, farmer Felix Schellenberg from the Chilcotin valley, will be sharing his family’s experiences of building a federally inspected on-farm abattoir, selling direct to customers through their Vancouver butcher shop ‘Pasture to Plate’, and how he has incorporated rotational grazing and biodynamic principles into the farm operation. The day will feature several additional expert speakers from the local region and further afield, facilitated panel discussions, solutions-based discussion groups, and the opportunity to meet and network with other stakeholders in the area.
The evening event will invite STEAKeaters to indulge in an offal feast, enjoy a live butchery session and cooking demos. Attendees will learn about the problems with our industrial food system through keynote presentations, short ‘grassFED Talks’ and films.
This is a great opportunity to gather together as a community and look at how we, as a region, can sustainably produce more of our own meat and strive towards better food security.
Get your tickets now for Friday 27th of March & visit www.farmfoodfork.com for more information.
Farm Food Fork is organized by the West Kootenay Permaculture Coop, a not for profit co-op made up of farmers, processors, retailers, and industry consultants; all passionate about local food, agriculture and seeing our region’s food based economy improve. KootenyFood.com