Elena Bilheimer, EcoNews Journalist
The 2022 Humboldt and Del Norte Community Food Guide, created by Cooperation Humboldt, is now available at newsstands throughout Humboldt and Del Norte Counties. Physical copies of the guide can also be found at the North Coast Co-op and the North Coast Grower’s Association (NCGA) booth at the farmers’ market, and it is also available to be downloaded as a pdf or accessed through the Cooperation Humboldt website. All articles are also available online in Spanish.
This publication is part of the Food Sovereignty program of Cooperation Humboldt and its main goals are to promote justice, sovereignty and localization in the food system. As Tamara McFarland, Editor and Food Team Coordinator at Cooperation Humboldt, said in the welcome letter of the food guide, “…we believe that access to nutritious, culturally appropriate food is a fundamental human right that should never be dependent on wealth or income.”
The guide contains many useful and engaging articles, including an explanation of California’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and how to use EBT (Electronic Benefits Transfer) at NCGA’s farmers’ markets, education about the several Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) models practiced locally, information about the new composting law SB 1383 and tips for learning how to compost at home, descriptions of gardening and permaculture, a deep dive into all things mushroom, and recipes for delicious and healthy meals. The guide also provides a directory of free and low-cost food resources, restaurants, gardening supplies, local farms and much more.
In addition to the food guide, other components of Cooperation Humboldt’s Food Sovereignty program include its Little Free Pantries that provide nonperishable food or personal care items for anyone to take what they need, community fruit trees that are offered for free to community members and organizations willing to make the fruit available to everyone, the Mini Gardens project which delivers and installs complete small garden setups to low-income residents, the co-stewardship of Jardín Santuario with Centro del Pueblo, and education through videos and in-person workshops and garden tours.
Providing a comprehensive and accessible guide for the community is an important part of Cooperation Humboldt’s overall mission. In the article “Meeting Needs & Shifting Culture”, McFarland stated, “It [the Humboldt and Del Norte Community Food Guide] is a powerful tool for sharing information, supporting local producers, and empowering residents to access nutritious locally grown foods. This is a critical piece of our broader vision.”
If you would like to learn more, become involved with Cooperation Humboldt, or support the 2023 Food Guide in order to help continue to provide the community with thoughtful and necessary information, please check out Cooperation Humboldt’s website at cooperationhumboldt.com/food-guide.
Echa un vistazo a la versión en español de la guía de alimentos en cooperationhumboldt.com/food-guide-spanish.