Conversations about food used to focus mainly on this question: "What's for dinner?"
Increasingly, people want to know: "Where is my dinner coming from?"
Consumers are hungry for information about the origins of their food and the methods used to produce it.
Many get particular satisfaction from buying it directly from a local farmer. Others would be happy just to have any form of produce grocery, since some Sacramento neighborhoods have none.
For years, a diverse group of community activists has been tackling these issues. They've helped to develop the region's farmers markets and farm stands. They've improved school lunches. They've sought to reform local ordinances that hurt farmers and have organized to expand neighborhood gardens.
Until recently, these food visionaries worked mostly in isolation. That is starting to change. One important step is the "regional food access project" that Valley Vision, a nonprofit group, convened earlier this year.
Funded through a grant from the California Endowment, the project has helped bring together various stakeholders to explore mutual interests in food access, a healthy diet and the region's farm economy.
So far, this group has held two meetings and is close to establishing a work plan. Yet that doesn't mean it is too late to get involved.
If you are a school nutritionist, a garden activist, an organizer of fruit gleaning or a community-minded chef, or if you are an elected leader from one of the region's rural counties, your perspective would be welcome. So would other perspectives. The group holds its next meeting Thursday.
What you can do:
• To learn more about this project, visit the Web site www.valleyvision.org and click on "regional food access."
• Thursday's meeting will be held from 8:30 a.m. to noon at the Sacramento Food Bank, 3333 Third Ave., Sacramento. To RSVP or get more information, contact Robin Krock at (916) 325-1630.
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