The Land and Table initiative was sparked in part by a report titled: ‘Land and Table: Cultivating Sustainable Agriculture and Resilient Food Systems in Virginia’s Region 2000‘. This report was created by Jason Fowler, the Land and Table organizer, and was originally produced for the Region 2000 Partnership concerning the economic impacts of the local food movement nationally, statewide in Virginia and in the Lynchburg regional area. This report was made for local economic developers and regional leaders but it is a great starting point for anyone who is interested in the connection between consumer buying habits, the relocalization of our economy in these troubled times, and the renewal of our regional foodshed. After the report was discussed by regional leaders we took it and used it as a springboard to begin our initial local food forums in November 2011. Our initial forum had three local residents present (and one guest from out of town):
- Ben Coleman of Mountain Run Farm
- Phyllis Wilson, local food advocate and author of Eating Local In Virginia and other books
- Jason Fowler (Sustainable Traditions co-founder, owner of ‘Wisely Woven {Creative Media}‘ and Land & Table organizer)