What does it take to change a food system? Hear from revolutionaries making gutsy choices to change the way we eat

Join us for a fun and inspiring morning at Iron Street Farm! Hear from leading advocates whose revolutionary vision and pioneering work are creating a new food economy made stronger by the choices we all make. Tour the inspiring Iron Street Farm facility and see their work to combat hunger, and provide job training and resources to at-risk populations.

Come to connect with like minded people, hear stories, and share a delicious meal from Gourmet Gorilla.

CIW Affiliate Host

Kathy Nyquist, New Venture Advisors

Revolutionaries:

Jim Slama, FamilyFarmed.org

Erika Allen, Growing Power

Jason Weedon, Gourmet Gorilla

Bob Scaman, Goodness Greeness

Schedule:  

10:00-11:00         Iron Street Farm Tour

11:00-12:30         Conversation with Good Food Revolutionaries  

12:30-1:00         Good Food Lunch and Community Sharing

Spend the afternoon volunteering or enjoying the open studio art space at Iron Street Farm!

Panelist Biographies

Kathy Nyquist, Founder and Principal, New Venture Advisors LLC

Kathy left a career in marketing at Kraft to help start companies that rebuild local food systems. She has been instrumental in the development of food hubs, businesses that aggregate and process farm products and market them to local customers, creating essential infrastructure to expand access to local and sustainably-produced foods.

Jim Slama, Founder and President, FamilyFarmed.org

Jim founded FamilyFarmed.org to encourage the production, marketing and distribution of locally grown and responsibly produced food and goods. His work expands the market for local farmers and food producers by supporting trade buyers, including many of the nation’s largest, in purchasing local food, training farmers and advancing the Community Supported Agriculture movement. Jim created the Good Food Festival and Conference in Chicago and Los Angeles, which are leading gatherings to advance the Good Food Movement with trade shows, policy summits, financing conferences, and food festivals.

Erika Allen, Chicago Program Manager, Growing Power

Growing Power is a nationally acclaimed non-profit organization and land trust providing equal access to healthy, high-quality, safe, and affordable food, especially in disadvantaged communities. Erika helps food producers of limited resources strengthen their farm businesses and work in partnerships to create healthy and diverse food options in inner city and rural communities.

Jason Weedon, CEO & Co-Founder, Gourmet Gorilla

Confronting growing childhood obesity and diabetes epidemics and a lack of access to healthy food in schools, Jason was inspired to start Gourmet Gorilla with his wife Danielle to create a source for healthier, better-tasting meals in Chicagoland schools. Jason’s work centers on building healthier bodies and minds in our schools, creating innovative ways to produce healthier meals and sourcing more sustainable ingredients from our local food system.

Bob Scaman, Founder and President, Goodness Greeness

Along with his brothers Rodney and Rick, Bob started Goodness Greeness in 1991, years before the organic food trend. Today, Goodness Greeness is the premier supplier of organic food in the Midwest. Bob works with farmers and suppliers to make available the freshest and widest variety of organic foods. Bob and Goodness Greeness also support Midwest farmers through buying as much locally produced organic food as possible and by sponsoring groups like Farm Aid that help America’s family farmers.