With great fanfare and after a lot of fundraising Slow Food Charlotte accomplished the huge task of sending over 14 people to Turin Italy for Terra Madre 2008. As a part of the observer arm of the delegation we were there to experience something special and unique. Which if you are in to food, culture, and a wider world view should be experienced.
The real question upon return is how to best speak of the event. How to best capture, seal, and use as a foundation for our local conversations and action. I’ve found it difficult. Speaking with many of the delegates there are similarities of not having just one thing but a peppering of tens if not hundreds of little moments that remain indelible.
Picking up our passes and checking in with the US liaisons we were able to meet some of the other US delegation and see a plentiful and diverse group of peoples. The opening ceremonies was long yet brilliant.
Beginning with a procession of Sardinians showing off one of their rituals (impressive, daunting, and powerful) to follow was the marching of the flags. Many countries of the world were represented and as we later found out from Winona laDuke a hope that indegenious cultures will be able to fly their flags next session.
Passionate Speakers, We Listened in Awe
Speakers included those in Slow Food and beyond, Alice Waters introduced a video of Prince Charles, UN Asst. Secretary General Carlos Lopes spoke on behalf of Ban Ki-Moon, Vandana Shiva was passionate and fiery in her remarks, a student Sam Levin blew us away with his youth, determination, vibrance and step-taking, Carlo Petrini brought it all home in the poignant thoughts of our development and rich diversities.
We were awash in the power of the people.
I had chills so many times I thought my brain was going to fry out. I’m not sure everyones world view is ready to accept what is going on. The world is being dominated by those with power and we are constantly seeing large companies leverage that power into poor decisions; squeezing the bottom of the chain, selling consumers marketing and bad health, while replacing nature with man management which is leading us down a very bad road.
United States Delegation, 800+
America will always amaze me. We are a super culture, a mixing pot of everyone. Including the great diversification of the indigenous countries within our country. How often we forget our own brief history.
The meeting of the US delegation was huge and very long. I understand why Slow Food Nation was conceived. We have a lot to talk about. With over 300 million in our borders we have a lot of work to do to corral this great nation.
We heard from many great regional speakers (session notes from Robin):
Josh Viertel, President of SF USA
We cannot take out without putting back in. Our priorities: #1 The Youth, #2 Social Justice. We are a movement, not an organization.
Farmer Dominic
We feed the community, and the community feeds us.
The importance of teaching.
Green Mountain College Farm and Food Project
Initiated under three goals: #1 Food, #2 Minds, #3 Ideas
Community supported agriculture (CSA) in the classroom to the kitchen and dining.
Common goals with continued partnership and community building.
White Earth Land Recovery Project Winona laDuke, protecting our sacred wild rices, listening and talking to our relatives (the vegetation), cultural diversity is as important as bio-diversity, remember where we came from and how we got here, honor the history of food, and that we all have the right to own and eat food.
Kellen Vaughn Shelendewa, the crops are your children, learn from your elders, the ancestors are with us and watch us, the earth has been entrusted to us.
Brett Ramie, community inclusion cannot be done without elders, our world cycle is a non-linear progress and we must apply the knowledge of our elders before it is lost to us.
Ian Marvy, creating future eaters and teaching young people to farm.
Peace and refuge exists in the garden.
From seed to sale, helping the youth see potential in alternative markets.
Embrace the joy, understand the anger, and transform one to the other.
Chef Tony Miller, cook to farmer collaboration.
Let the food be the food, the star of the plate. Finish strong, show the youth what we need to continue. Keep the dollar in your yard, source locally whenever possible.
What Novice Farmers Need to Succeed
Access: land, info, market, cultural institutions, encouragement.
Land, liberty, sunshine, stamina. serveyourcountryfood.net
Inter-generational collaboration in activism Coalition of Immokalee workers, a 32 pound bucket of tomatoes gets $.45, the same as in 1978. Equating to $8-10,000 a year. 7 cases of slavery in the last decade. They have fought and won cases against large companies to pay more for their produce. Big companies can not keep applying this financial pressure downwards.
Strengthening Food Communities,Will & Erika Allen
Engage and inspire the community. The need to break down the social constructs that are oppressing people. Food justice, generations of justice. Look for the small projects to produce tremendous results, “Below the Grass”. Rich food for all folks.
Overcoming Cultural Divides with Smiles
Robin and I wanted to break through the cultural divides and meet people. We built a photo book, packing it with pictures of who we are and where we are from. Upon meeting someone new usually it involved the act of smiling and gesturing for a photograph.
I would take their picture and then we would approach showing them their picture. This then turned into an often funny trial and error of english, italian, french, hand signs, and laughter.
What really helped was showing our pictures.
Showing our city at night, Robin and her classroom, our farmers and local agriculture, our family.
Through this exchange we would learn who they were, where they were from, what they brought with them, and with many contact information for penning them later. Our parting gift to those we met was a simple photograph of Robin and myself surrounded by some of the pictures they had seen with a set of email and snail mail addresses so that we might keep in touch. We hope they do.
Classes, Lectures, the Public Speaks
There were so many things to learn and not enough time to learn them all. Between Salone de Gusto’s formidable tasting, pairing, and food explorations you had multiple tracks that you could run on in the Terra Madre sector. Climate change, soil protection, fair trade, bee colonies, getting to market, how to market, activist luncheons, youth meetups, and so much more.
We attended many which I’ll go in to in individual postings later, but would have loved to entertain more. Watching and being a participant with all these groups of people, each having a headset and a translator was just brilliant in being able to communicate across the gulf of language.
Do You Value Yourself? Do You Value the World?
In the end we all share this world and many of us are experiencing the same problems. How we face those problems, find solutions that are good, clean, and fair, will be a monumental challenge. If we don’t face it head on though it will get no easier later and if the damage is irreprable, then what.
I’ve said it before, I got into this movement for a hunt for quality. I fell in love with the chain of agriculture and now am in it for my future family. If we can adopt a greater outlook for ourselves and for those in our charge maybe there is hope yet.
Continued Thought, an Evolving Experience
More to come. We thank all of those who helped us achieve our goal and look forward to building further essays and pictorials that give light to what we learned. I end with a musical slideshow that encompasses some of the sights and similar musics heard during our time abroad.
The whirlwind of Andy’s life never stops, rarely slows, and is always ready to start up again. Why? Because he’s insane. Anyhow, the voices urge me onward. Recently I was able to organize and participate in a Slow Food Charlotte event that was with a local forager named Reed.
A rule on foragers. They know the value of a secret and are good to keep their best ones close to their heart (or stomach). I don’t want to give any more than I have to on where we were or Reed’s full name. I respect this self-proclaimed lummox and want to keep the integrity of the wood, per say.
Stay Away from Brown and Whites
We weren’t but a few yards away from civilization when Reed shouted out that we should stay clear of all white and brown mushrooms. Unless of course you know what you are doing. Of course we don’t, and not knowing, this gave us our first framework to work in.
There are plenty of good white and brown mushrooms, there are also plenty that will do you harm from indigestion to liver failure. There have been many families snuffed out by collecting of simple white mushrooms with a death cap mixed in. The difference between a species being identified is of extreme importance.
There were six of us, as we got comfortable with the terrain we learned a little bit more about each other. Educators, chefs, executives, and more. One goal in mind, to learn more about the wild around us and how to better scout for the delectable within. We couldn’t have been paired with a better local guide.
Reed is an impassioned man who loves being outdoors. He is a living tome of knowledge that was first catalyzed as a small child. When asked where he got started thinking about mushrooms he recalled a science fair project and how after that he never stopped looking into the natural world around him.
So Much Knowledge!
I wish my mind could have held it all. He pointed at trees that would have different species at different types of year. Bushes that held edibles, and wild roses that might have the greatest little blooms. Everywhere he turned he could practically tell us something else about the landscape around us. It was impressive and inspiring.
We eventually came to a set of stream-beds. Reed found some small red/orange chanterelle and had us all get a good eyeful. We were then instructed to fan out and look for more based off of a kind of grid search heading north along the stream. Slowly we began to spot little patches here, there, all in a fairly juvenille state, but chanterelle’s none the less.
Over the course of a few hours, a couple of miles, and a few of us getting famous left or right, mud-foot, we learned so much. We found good species and bad, the edible and the repelling. Reed even found a few new that might be good. He would take them home for spore printing and testing. We also stumbled upon an old homesite marked by giant oaks and the remnants of the stone foundation for a wood cabin.
Injury Count, Zero^b^b^b
We came, we saw, we got stung. Oh yea, the only real injury of the trip was when Laura and I, third through a wasp nest finally pissed them off enough to send out a full on assault. We danced violently with spurts of run walking before shedding a portion of clothing and asking the wasps to please go home. While we got the brunt and large amount of stingers I think everyone got stung once. (Which for the record wasp stings take up to 6 days before they fully stop itching.. what a drag!)
While we harvested only a small amount on this trip Reed thought it was a great success. We all now know what to look for on a few edible species. We now know what to not touch from panthers to death caps and a host of bitter bites.
We will try and continue to do this in intervals so that more can become a bit more forage worthy and collectively we can understand more of Charlotte’s natural bioculture.
Warning, if you are a strong vegetarian onwards you should know I am a great omnivore and only have respect for my foodsources. This article is highly doused in the art of pork and I hope you will still love me in the end.
I think I’m finally fully out of my meat-choco-coma. It took a few days and a lot of chocolate bacon flashbacks, but I think I’m well on the mend. Mine and others in our area were struck with this fantastic affliction last Sunday when Lell Trogdon opened her doors for a friends fundraiser like no other.
If you are having trouble viewing what is below check out some of the pictures on flickr.
A Day of the Porcinus
It cannot be understated what great pork raisers Grateful Growers are. It can also not be understated what Lell Trogdon can do with such fine materials. Pork shoulder, butt, ham, bacon, bratwurst and more were soaked, slathered, slow cooked, grilled, to perfection. Thunder Cats.. Hooo… oh wait. I digress.
In addition there was scones, cream sausage gravy, eggs with sausage and eggs with green chilis, with cheese grits for breakfast. Lunch onward was served the bulk of the meats and a few vegetables and a vegetarian lasagna made an appearance, but it was mostly about pork.
A meat induced coma was seen drifting in peoples eyes all day. It was awesome.
Dirty Little Secret
The Secret Chocolatier brought his upcoming arsenal of chocolate might out for a tour. Bill Dietz is my chocolate superman, he shares that title by many adoring fans in our area. We’re working hard to grow that fan base (join today!) and to that extent are opening up his culinary war chest to bring out some great eats.
The vast chocolate landscape included an almond encrusted triangular chocolate pate with accompanying caramel sauce, a chocolate mousse, a chocolate torte, chocolate chunk brownies dipped in dark chocolate coating, a chocolate fudge cake with chocolate icing, a chocolate fudge cake with cream cheese icing, and a carrot cake with cream cheese icing. Phew.. if the thought of that at your party doesn’t make you quiver, you don’t love a great dessert.
If the meat didn’t do it, The Secret Chocolatier did. Some looked frantically around for a place to nap. An outdoor sofa awaited many.
Pandora Traffle
Did I mention that The Secret Chocolatier donated a Pandora truffle for raffle? Weighing in at 16 oz it is something to behold, and hopefully to be shared by many. It was contended for, fought over, people schemed, but in the end the wonderful Denise Kuntz was given a phone call that she had won the prize (to the devastation of the still hanging crowd). Luckily Denise is sweet and said she would share!
All For Who? What?
All because Robin and I really want to be a part of a great experience with more great people in an effort to grow, capture, and bring back some of the inspiration of Slow Food’s Terra Madre. We’ve been fundraising for a few weeks and have had a great outpouring from family, friends, and even local farmers who share our passion, or want us to bring them back some of the experience.
Quick Terra Madre Primer, bi-ennial event in Turin, Italy:
What do you get when you build a conference around sharing culture, tradition, survival, and growth of the worlds food system.
5000 farmers, 1000 chefs, 2000 students and volunteers to collectively communicate.
We Help Each Other
I’ve taken to heart over the past few years that friends help each other. It’s been a rocky time for everyone I’ve known, across industries, across regions, but we share out support be it with kind words, time, opportunities, and out of pocket. Our friends are pivotal in our growth and we are so very blessed in having good ones.
Thanks to everyone who made our morning, lunch, and afternoon such a delight. To those who could not make it you were missed and while we tried to make up for your loss, we do poorly compared to the real thing.
Our goal is not met and we’re charging on! If you can help us let us know! (It’s a karmic win too!)
“Why does one want to walk wings? Why force one’s body from a plane to make a parachute jump? Why should man want to fly at all? People often ask these questions. But what civilization was not founded on adventure, and how long could one exist without it? Some answer the attainment of knowledge. Some say wealth, or power, is sufficient cause. believe the risks I take are justified by the sheer love of the life I lead.” — Charles Lindbergh
I love it, wish I could do it more, wish I could amp up my abilities to a near competition level if I could. I don’t have time, and like everything time in equals mastery out so you have to work hard at it.
Moments to Perfection
For skydivers, unless they do tunnel time, we learn one (1) minute at a time. Makes you really think about how hard you need to execute, how well you need to plan, how rigorous you must perform to maximize your one minute in the air. Next time you are slacking over an hour think about what you could do in just one minute. Test yourself with your own boundaries and see if you can go farther. It’s one lesson I’m always taking to heart.
Achievements can happen in moments so try not to waste many.
An Excerpt, J101
The following is a little excerpt from my life. It takes place on my 101st jump where I take a Flip Minos around my neck and take some video after a high-pull (meaning to pull your chute directly at altitude out of the plane). I had a nice 8 minute journey back to earth and let my adrenaline speak for itself.
It’s not the best video, I’ll get better when I can mount it on my head (hah). For now though I think it speaks volumes and gives a sneak peak into the view I enjoy so much.
In an effort to participate in a global community, support our friends and peers abroad, we ask for your help.
Slow Food Charlotte
Robin and I have been members of Slow Food Charlotte now for 3+ years. We were brought in through friends who showed us that quality also meant good, clean, and fair. Through this time we have matured our world views, understand an inequality and systemic issue is in the air, and have tried to foster a local organization that informs, bridges, and raises up these concerns.
If you are unaware of Slow Food, or the premise, we are a group that defends biodiversity.
We believe that everyone has a fundamental right to pleasure and consequently the responsibility to protect the heritage of food, tradition and culture that make this pleasure possible. Our movement is founded upon this concept of eco-gastronomy – a recognition of the strong connections between plate and planet.
Slow Food is good, clean and fair food. We believe that the food we eat should taste good; that it should be produced in a clean way that does not harm the environment, animal welfare or our health; and that food producers should receive fair compensation for their work.
We consider ourselves co-producers, not consumers, because by being informed about how our food is produced and actively supporting those who produce it, we become a part of and a partner in the production process.
Terra Madre 2008
Terra Madre, a gathering, a convening of the worlds food communities. 30k square feet, over 300 activities, workshops, lectures, educational series over a five day period starting October 23rd to 27th.
By giving voice to all those who are not prepared to accept the standardizing, inhuman, totalizing model that applies the rules of industry to living matter, the event promotes ‘positive globalization’. The Terra Madre communities meet to proclaim food production’s need to maintain a harmonious relationship with the environment and assert the cultural and scientific dignity of traditional practices. When they return home to their countries of origin, they are fired by a positive feeling of being members of a ‘community of destiny’. The end-result is a new form of virtuous globalization that grows from the grassroots, from local identity.
Community Representation
Slow Food Charlotte has 13 delegates that will be attending Terra Madre. To be a delegate is an awe inspiring experience. Once their feet hit the ground they are taken care of. All they have to worry about is absorbing and sharing what information they can before it is all over.
We are extatic for our delegates and if you know one of them make sure to give them a hearty congratulations.
Reaching Out
While our friends and peers are taken care of, Robin and I would like to attend the event for the experience, support, and ability to capture the experience.
Slow Food has granted us observer status so that we may be there and participate when room allows. Our aim is to chronicle the event for our region and work to bring greater exposure to a regional and national level.
We need your help though.
While we support our network we need our networks support. To cover our airfare and stay we need cash to do so and that’s something that is hard for us to afford in this time.
Giving Value for Value
While we love donations and with great honor will accept any amount of kindness, we want to offer some incentives or rewards for helping us.
When the trip is concluded I will be building a book for national sales on our regions Slow Food / Terra Madre participation and the greater picture. Like all my works prior it will be a lovingly crafted photo essay book. A compilation of images and text for you to read, share, enjoy and enlighten with.
In this book we would like to dedicate a series of pages to those who were willing to help us get there, as well as offer discounts or even the book itself when published.
The Tiers of Change
We tried to come up with something equitable, fair, and rewarding for helping us. We truly appreciate anything that you can do. The following tiers are available.
$15 dollars
Honorable Friend
Your name in the book as an honored friend.
10% off the printed book.
$25 dollars
Pathfinders
Your name in the book as a Pathfinder.
25% off a printed book.
$65 dollars
Trailblazers
Your name in the book as a Trailblazer.
50% off a printed book.
$125 dollars
Guardians
Your name in the book as a Guardian.
A thumbnail picture of yourself, family, or avatar.
75% off a printed book.
A signed 5”x7” print from the journey.
$250 dollars
Defenders
Your name in the book as a Defender.
A small picture of yourself, family, or avatar.
Free printed book.
A signed 8”x10” print from the journey.
Commercial Sponsors
These will be taken on a case by case basis. If you would like to inquire or participate with our journey please contact us.
We will accept payments any way you can grant us them. If paying by Paypal you can use our ChipIn widget. No fees apply except my transaction costs with Paypal.
We will also accept checks:
Andy & Robin Ciordia
336 Pine Creek Dr.
Charlotte, NC 28270
If you have any further questions please don’t hesitate to ask, contact us.
While it is unlikely these rewards/incentives are subject to change.
Thank you for your time and caring. We hope to make this a memorable event in our lives and turn that around into something we can all take to heart.
around my neck and take some video after a high-pull (meaning to pull your chute directly at altitude out of the plane). I had a nice 8 minute journey back to earth and let my adrenaline speak for itself.
