Local conference highlights healthy food efforts in region – News8000.com – WKBT

Food in the City.

News 8’s Madalyn O’Neill was there to find out more.

Kyle …

The conference’s focus was on growing, sourcing and

cooking healthy food from our region.

There were local vendors, teaching sessions and a

panel of speakers .

and of course, plenty of food.

Neighborhood leaders spoke about the important place

food can have in a communtity.

Pam Hartwell

Executive Director of Hillview Urban Agriculture Center

and Conference Organizer

One of the greatest common denominators of being a

human on this planet is the need to eat food.

Pam Hartwell says food has a place beyond just the

dinner table.

I think food is the best way to bring people together.

She says people can learn a lot from coming together

over food .

and that’s what they did today at the La Crosse mayor’s

neighborhood conference.

We wanted to highlight the growing the sourcing the

production and the eating of really healthy good food….if

we dont eat well it kills us, literally.

Food is one of those great things where you do it

right and you’re healthy and able to live your life

in a successful and postive way.

Casey Peterson, one of the panel speakers .

grows produce in people’s backyard.

Casey Peterson

URBAN FARMER

In return for them letting me use their space, I give

them a weekly basket of vegetables from the garden

and the rest I sell at the farmers market and local

restaurants.

And he also grows connections in the city.

One of the things I’m passionate about is helping

to educate people to get them growing their own food,

or at the very least getting them to pay attention

to the kind of food they’re eating.

Local, fresh, vegetables.

things like that.

so it’s been a great feeling to really connect with

the community.

Speakers hope the conference will plant a seed in

people’s minds.

I hope they want to go eat a healthy meal or prepare

it with their family or start a garden.

At the very least, just a heightened awareness.

Maybe pique an interest in local food production or

healthy eating.

And make the community a little bit stronger.

It’s a really nice opportunity to make La Crosse shine.

In Lax, MO, N8

Presentations today ranged from how to grow your own

food to cooking healthy meals.

There were activities for kids all day .

and organizers say that’s great, because it’s important

to get off to an early start when it comes to healthy

eating.

Thanks Madalyn…

The third annual neighborhood revitalization awards

also took place at the conference .

highlighting people and organizations in the community

who are making a difference.