My friend, Ariel Sultan from Food Guru, invited me to attend a Farm to Fork SF event. Foodies, chefs, and farmers gathered to celebrate and discuss the food industry with a unique focus on making a sustainable impact. Farm to Fork SF is affiliated with the multi-media event space called The Village in San Francisco. At this interactive event, they featured sustainably driven local beef ranchers with tastings prepared by local top chefs.

What a pleasure it was to learn about and speak with the owners of these high quality small food companies, who are taking great care to respect the environment and the animals they raise. One of the highlighted ranchers was Stemple Creek Ranch. The founder, Loren Poncia, explained how his beef is humanely raised, grass-fed/finished, and manages his farm in Tomales, CA. Loren also spoke about how Stemple Creek Ranch practices carbon farming; it not only reduces Greenhouse emissions, but it is important to raising a healthy and happy herd.

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Agriculture is one of the many solutions for fighting climate change, but change starts when the community comes together and learns from shared stories. The event inspired me to start making changes in the way I eat. Here are a few action items for making changes in your eating habits in order to support sustainable food systems:

Action Plan:

1. Shop at community/local markets and visit restaurants that support the local food movement. Here are a few Bay Area restaurants who source from local farms and ranches:  The Progress in San Francisco, CA  and Gather in Berkeley, CA.
2. Make regular trips to your local farmers markets and get to know your favorite producers. Visit Eat Well Guide to find food sourced locally and sustainably near you.
3. Volunteering – San Francisco’s Ferry Building Farmers market offers volunteer opportunities or you can volunteer at local organic farms: WWOOF USA.
4. Education – Set an example with your family and friends through healthy eating by preparing meals together and sharing recipes.
5. Talk to local politicians in your community to see how you can make an impact.

We can create positive change in our lifestyles by changing the way we consume food. I made a personal goal to start eating more local food, whether I am purchasing food from a grocery store or eating at a restaurant. I will also continue to keep an eye on any educational events such as, Farm to Fork SF, that bring together a strong community of passionate foodies, chefs, and farmers.

–Written by guest blogger, Ester Zolotnitsky-Serebryanny

–Edited by the Food Guru team