Media
Collards in the Cafeteria
Nestled in the agricultural heart of North Carolina, Gaston County schools are attempting to source 10% of their produce locally. Students love the addition of fresh, local strawberries and watermelons to their menu, but how about collards? Collards In the Cafeteria follows the journey of this nutrient rich leafy green from the fields to the county's Central Kitchen, where they are cooked and processed in a Wonka-like fashion for cafeteria service the following day. Frank Fields, Director of School Nutrition, shares the secret of the final step; getting students to try and, perhaps, even love this classic Southern side dish.
Learn More: nc10percent.com/collards
Freshly Retired
Salem Suber needed a way to meet the increasing demand for fresh food by residents at Southminster, a continuing care retirement community in Charlotte, N.C. With 282 unique published menus every 21 days, how could Suber, Director of Culinary Services, maintain consistency and meet their demands? The answer was to bring in Chef Kris Reid. The video explores how Reid’s tireless passion for fresh, local food powers a world of change within an institutional setting by creating deep personal connections to the food being grown and served—resulting in bottom-line savings in the kitchen and a vibrant community of residents around the garden.
Learn More: nc10percent.com/freshlyretired
Ugly & Wild: Learning to Love N.C. Fish
Even though your mama said, “there are many fish in the sea,” we often seek out what we already know. Locals Seafood is an inland fish house in Raleigh, North Carolina, that believes love awaits those who are willing to take a chance with the lesser-known, but ultra fresh, bounty caught off their coast. Over the last decade nearly 40% of N.C. fish houses have closed due to increasing demand for imported seafood; which is familiar and cheap, but from obscure sources using unknown practices. UGLY & WILD explores how Locals Seafood is creating new connections with venerable coastal fishing families to bring one of the state’s last wild foods to a dinner plate near you. After all, true beauty is fried on the inside.
Learn More: nc10percent.com/uglyfish
What Can Be
Carla Norwood and Gabe Cummings moved back home to the small town of Warrenton, North Carolina. Their land gives them a sense of place and there's much work to be done in growing a family and nurturing a resilient local food economy. By creating their organization, Working Landscapes, as well as a small greens processing facility, they are connecting the dots of a regional food system. What Can Be outlines their economic redevelopment project, the partners involved, and how their model can be replicated to develop complementary facilities. Dr. Jonathan Morgan, expert from UNC’s School of Government, discusses the economic impacts of building regional food systems and what can be in small rural communities.
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