The Tallahassee Food Network will be relaunching a community project from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 6 at the Frenchtown iGrow Garden.
The event is called “Collards & Cornbread,” and according to its website
The Tallahassee Food Network is a regional coalition of the global movement that works to grow community-based good food systems. The network organizes across lines of division, and has been around since 2013.
A couple years ago, local residents came together and created this event in hopes of bridging the racial and community divides, collectively address food insecurities and educating individuals about the benefits of local and organic gardening.
This event is important to have because as a result of this, many community gardens have been started, and over the years there have been measures of resounding success in all areas of educating others about local and organic gardening.
Last year, “Collards & Cornbread” had been scheduled, but due to COVID-19, it was postponed until further notice.
Jasmine Richardson, a fourth-year Florida A&M psychology major, participated in planning the event. She said she is excited for it to happen.
“I’m excited to see the gathering of the local communities coming together for a good cause,” Richardson said.
Cara Fleischer, Tallahassee Green Faith Alliance leader, says that the event will have a lot of activities for everyone to enjoy.
“There will be a pot-luck lunch, demos of gardening techniques, kids gardening, plant sales, and a planning meeting that will take place in the beautiful iGrow garden,” said Fleischer.
In addition to all the other events, there will be a collards and cornbread cook-off. In order to enter there is a one-time $25 donation that can be paid in cash or by check made out to the Tallahassee Food Network. All donations for the event will go directly to the iGrow Garden.
Local community member Tamia Hayes, is happy that events like this take place in Tallahassee.
“I’ve been living here since I was born,” Hayes said. “I grew up gardening, and aim to eat organic foods that I produced. Events like this make me proud to know that I have a community of people who enjoy and support doing the same things I do, as well as trying to educate others.”
The event encourages and is open to Florida A&M University and Florida State University students, farmers, politicians, faith leaders, local officials, members of the community and health and nutritionists.