Community Food Systems Resources

• Community Food Systems Organizing 
• Connections Between Sustainable Agriculture, Community Food Security and Health Benefits of Foods
• Creating Useful Community Food Assessments: Way Beyond the Numbers 
• From Global to Local: Developing Strategies for System-Wide Change 
• From Problem-Solving to Solution-Creating: Evolutionary Responses to Commonly Encountered Challenges in Food Systems Organizing
• Funding Your Community Food Projects with Social Enterprises
• Get Ready to Apply for a USDA Community Food Projects Competitive Grant
• Planning and Designing Your Community Food Systems Project
• Program Evaluation for Your Community Food Systems Project
• The Cultural Component of Community Food Systems
• Working with State and Local Agencies to Build Community Food Systems

• Asset-based Programming
• Collaborations in Community Food Work
• Creating Effective Non-Profit Boards
• Cultural Competency in Community Food Work
• Planning – The Key to Organizational Sustainability

COMMUNITY FOOD ASSESSMENTS

What's Cooking in Your Food System? A Guide to Community Food Assessment, 2002.

A comprehensive guide to informing and supporting the development of community food assessments as a tool for increasing community food security and creating positive change. Community Food Security Coalition, PO Box 209, Venice, CA 90294; 310-822-5410. www.foodsecurity.org

COMMUNITY GARDENS

Cultivating Community: Principles and Practices for Community Gardening as a Community-Building Tool, by Karen Payne and Deborah Fryman.

$16.00. American Community Gardening Association, C/O Council on the Environment of New York City, 51 Chambers Street, Suite 228, New York, NY 10007; 877-275-2242;  http://www.communitygarden.org/acga-store.php

Entrepreneurial Community Gardens: Growing Food, Skills, Jobs and Communities, 1999, by Gail Feenstra, Sharyl McGrew and David Campbell.

This study includes a comparative analysis of 27 entrepreneurial gardens, five case studies and extensive appendices with urban agriculture and gardening contacts, an annotated contact list of entrepreneurial community gardens, business development resources and funding opportunities for job creation and training in urban agriculture. 106 pp. $10 plus $3.50 shipping and handling. (Publication 21587.) DANR Communication Services, 6701 San Pablo Avenue, 2nd Floor, Oakland, California 94608-1239; 800-994-8849. danrcs@ucdavis.edu

Growing Communities Curriculum: Community Building and Organizational Development through Community Gardening, 2001, by Jeanette Abi-Nader, Kendall Dunnigan & Kristen Markley.

This book offers ten workshops covering community organizing, leadership, fund-raising, communication plans, coalition-building, diversity, and more. 352 pp. $40 plus $5 shipping and handling. American Community Gardening Association, C/O Council on the Environment of New York City, 51 Chambers Street, Suite 228, New York, NY 10007; 877-275-2242. http://www.communitygarden.org/pubs/index.html

Growing Together: Community Gardening and Food Security, 1996, by Sustainable Food Center.

Covers all the details of establishing a community garden, for local organizations, governments and individuals. 35 pp. Free. SFC, Attn: "Garden Guide," 434 Bastrop Hwy, Austin, Texas 78741; 800-882-5592. Other SFC publications include a complete "how-to" manual for starting a farmers' market and Growing Smart, a compilation of Texas sustainable agriculture success stories. www.sustainablefoodcenter.org

Starting a Community Garden, from the American Community Gardening Association. Free. http://www.communitygarden.org/pubs/index.html#Starting

FARM-TO-SCHOOL PROGRAMS

Healthy Farms, Healthy Kids: Evaluating the Barriers and Opportunities for Farm-To-School Programs, 2001, by Andrea Misako Azuma and Andrew Fisher.

Explores in-depth the opportunities and barriers related to school food services purchasing food from local farmers. Includes case studies and lessons learned from actual projects. 62 pp. Community Food Security Coalition, PO Box 209, Venice, CA 90294; 310-822-5410. www.foodsecurity.org

National Farm to School Program is a project of the Center for Food and Justice, a division of the Urban and Environmental Policy Institute at Occidental College. The project brings together nine partners from four states to work on promoting farm to school programs nationwide. Visit the program online at: http://www.farmtoschool.org.

FARMERS' MARKETS

Farmers' Markets: Rules, Regulations and Opportunities, 2002, by Neil Hamilton of Drake Univ.

Examines the structure and operation of farmers' markets, with special attention to the legal and regulatory issues that may shape their operation. Provides a resource that will be valuable for farmers considering a farmers' market, to vendors now selling at farmers' markets, to the organizers and managers who run markets, and to those thinking about creating new markets. Free. On the website of the National Center for Agricultural Law Research & Information at the University of Arkansas. www.nationalaglawcenter.org/publications/index.html

From the Field to the Table: Suggested Food Handling Guidelines for Open-Air Farmers’ Markets & Fairs, 1999, by the ECOnomics Institute.

This food handling guideline creates an understanding of wholesome food production, transportation, and display at farmers’ markets or food fairs and develops food categories based on food safety risks.  ECOnomics Institute, Loyola University, Box 907, New Orleans, LA 70118; 504-861-5898, ecoinst@loyno.edu., www.loyno.edu/economics.institute

Growing Oklahoma Farmers' Markets: A Resource Guide for Market Managers, 2003.

A three-ring binder full of resources for starting, promoting, and protecting a farmers' market. Targeted for Oklahoma, but useful for market managers anywhere. Coopeartive project of Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Oklahoma Farmers Market Alliance, Oklahoma State University, and Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry. Kerr Center, PO Box 588, Poteau, OK 74953; 918-647-9123. www.kerrcenter.com

Hot Peppers & Parking Lot Peaches: Evaluating Farmers' Markets in Low Income Communities, 1999, by Andy Fisher.

This report examines issues associated with farmers markets in low income communities. It includes case studies of eight farmers markets, and discusses policy barriers and opportunities. 61 pp. Community Food Security Coalition, PO Box 209, Venice, CA 90294; 310-822-5410. www.foodsecurity.org

The New Farmers' Market: Farm-Fresh Ideas for Producers, Managers & Communities, 2001, by Vance Corum, Marcie Rosenzweig & Eric Gibson.

Full of basic information and innovative tips for anyone associated with Farmers' Markets -- farmers, sellers, managers, market planners, and their communities. Includes real-life examples on selling, displays, planning, promoting, management, and building community support. 257 pp. $29.45 (including shipping and handling). New World Publishing, 11543 Quartz Dr. #1, Auburn, CA 95602; 530-823-3886. Credit card orders call 888-281-5170.

LOCAL FOOD PROJECTS

FoodRoutes  www.foodroutes.org.

Dedicated to promoting sustainable family farmers. Maintain a wealth of information to help support the purchasing of locally grown food.

Getting Food on the Table: An Action Guide to Local Food Policy, 1999, by Dawn Biehler, Andy Fisher, Kai Siedenburg, Mark Winne, and Jill Zachary.

Designed to support local efforts to promote community food security by helping readers understand the breadth of policies affecting their local food system, evaluate policy barriers and opportunities, and develop innovative policy solutions. Includes case studies and a resource guide. Community Food Security Coalition, PO Box 209, Venice, CA 90294; 310-822-5410. www.foodsecurity.org

Local Food Project: A How-to Manual, 2001, by Gary Valen.

Basic booklet offering steps for how to start a local food project. 43 pp. Free. The Humane Society of the United States, 202-452-1100. www.hsus.org

Local Harvest www.localharvest.org

Host an electronic directory of farms and farmer’s markets selling locally produced farm products directly to consumers.  Consumers can search the directory by state, city, zip code, farm type, or farm product to learn where to buy farm products grown near them.  Farms and farmer’s markets get free listings.

RESEARCH AND REPORTS

Growing Home: A Guide to Reconnecting Agriculture, Food and Communities, 2002, by Joanna Green and Duncan Hilchey.

A comprehensive handbook for community-based food and agricultural initiatives as a means of achieving sustainable community development. Offers tools for planning and examples of strategies used by communities in the northeast United States. Designed for community and economic developers, agricultural development specialists, planners, Extension educators, and other community organizers. 151 pp. $25.00. Community, Food, and Agriculture Program, 216 Warren Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853; 607-255-9832. gcg4@cornell.edu

Urban and Agricultural Communities: Opportunities for Common Ground, 2002, by the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST).

The report provides an extensive discussion of the ways that agriculture already contributes to urban communities, such as storm water management, air quality, and economic benefits as well as community and human health and recreational opportunities. It also proposes five important initiatives that the agricultural system, higher education programs and governments must undertake jointly to remain relevant to society. The initiatives include comprehensive planning; public policy; higher education; research; and partnerships and collaboration. Free. www.cast-science.org