Growing Power's Iron Street Farm

On Saturday, February 22, members of DePaul UFO traveled to Growing Power Chicago's Iron Street Farm. Started in 1993, Growing Power has evolved from an "organization with teens who needed a place to work" to a "national and global commitment to sustainable food systems." (Read a NYTimes Magazine article on founder, Will Allen HERE)  

Growing Power's Chicago Projects Office opened in 2002 and Iron Street Farm is one of six Urban Farms sites in the city.

Some fun guys and gals (group of DePaul UFO members)

And some fungi (mushrooms growing at Iron Street Farm)

Want to learn more about Growing Power Chicago? Next weekend (March 13-15), they will be participating in Good Food Festival and Conference at UIC Forum! If you are interested in volunteering at the festival, CLICK HERE.

SPEAKING OF LEARNING MORE..

Last week, Will's daughter, Erika Allen was interviewed as a part of Inspiring Grateful's Food Growing Summit, an online tele-summit hosted by Gary Heine and Valerie Kausen. Check out just a few of her many inspiring words below.

So for me it's not like feel good spiritually or whatever but it's really about economic development; that is food justice to me. And I think it's a change, like a series of interns, young people that come through “What's this food justice?” and I put my hands up and say, “It's about growing food, employing people well above minimum wage from communities that are most impacted by food insecurity, poverty and crime. So that’s food justice.”

It's not about sitting around the fire and talking about the creation of the universe, that's not food justice. That's awesome, but that's not what the work is for me. The work is really about changing the dynamic of how people survive and people having control over what goes into their bodies. They have control over where they live, they have control over their environment and when you have poverty and all these pieces coming together, you don't have those things.

So the food becomes a tool for justice. 

3, 2, 1, ACTION

Last Tuesday, DePaul UFO hosted a screening of American Meat, a Leave It Better documentary about the current conditions, people, problems, and solutions of the U.S. Meat Industry. Consider these THREE REASONS American Meat is different/refreshing, read these TWO TESTIMONIALS from UFOers, and then go to the DePaul Richardson Library and check out this ONE AWESOME FILM!

Not only did American Meat expose the flaws in the current meat industry through an ethical, social, economic, and environmental lens, but it offered a sustainable, economic-safe solution for meat production in the United States. I concluded the screening feeling positive thoughts about the future of our meat industry. A must see!

-Megan Lee

I love American Meat because it is pro-farmer in every way. The film doesn't villainize farmers who are part of the industrial agriculture system, but instead demonstrates how these people are stuck in a system that is not only unsustainable, but that is also inherently unfair to our nation's farmers. It also highlights not only the problems with our meat industry, but the shortage of farmers that the current system is creating. 

At the same time, the film highlights the incredible people who are pursuing a different way of doing things. And mostly, I love that American Meat shows a different side of meat production that can really challenge the ideas you have about raising animals for food, and what that practice looks like. American Meat is a movie that is truly full of hope, and it has played a huge role in my passion for sustainable agriculture - seeing it for the first time two years ago is part of what made me want to farm.

- Abby Lundrigan

Good Golly, They're Citrus Fruits!

UFO Word of the Day:

2. grapefruit oranges lemons limes yuzus

""Golly! These fruits are full of flavor, Vitamin C, Potassium, and happiness.""

We'll keep this short and sweet! For more information and fun factoids, check out CUESA's Guide to Citrus Fruits and Winter Citrus: Fruits with A Peel 

                                     photo from thekitchn.com

15 Bright and Sunny Citrus Fruit Recipes from thekitchn.com

Mushrooms and Bok Choy and Squash, Oh My

Nature supplies some super foods to build your immune system, boost your energy, and bring comfort to your cold winter days. Here are a few fruits and vegetables that exemplify nature's amazing seasonal solutions. 

Mushrooms

What room can be eaten? A mushroom. Aw man, somebody stepped on that mushroom..too bad, he must have been a fungi. Not enjoying these fungus jokes? They might grow on in you with time..

Not only do mushrooms possess impressive pun potential, but they are also packed with some serious immune-system support. According to World'sHealthiestFood.org, mushrooms contain certain phytonutrients that guide white blood cell activity, have been observed to block the production of pro-inflammatory molecules, and offer a significant source of antioxidant nutrients of selenium, zinc, and manganese. 

Squash

From Delicata, to Blue Hokkaido, to Kabocha, the varieties of winter squash offer more than just some fun names.One variety, Butternut Squash, is deemed a power food by WholeLiving.com. Butternut Squash boasts an arsenal of carotenoids (pigments responsible for that beautiful tangerine hue). Most notable is its abundance of beta-carotene, a pre-cursor to vitamin A (keeping your sight sharp during short winter days). Further, Butternut Squash's supply of vitamin B6 offers essential support to your immune and nervous systems. 

                                                                               the rain is gone..

RECIPES PLEASE

                                         (photo by mindbodygreen.com)

Winter Wellness Bowl from MindBodyGreen
 (click link for recipe)

                                                                  (photo by Olivia Johnson)

"Bok, Broc, and Squash" Pizza

Steam or sauté bok choy, broccoli, butternut squash. Slice fresh mozzarella and grate fresh grana padano. Prepare HomemadeGarlicFlatbread dough, divide in half, and roll out each section pizza-style. Place section in skillet, top with olive oil, cook until bottom just begins to brown, flip pancake-style, and add pesto, cheeses, vegetables, cannelloni beans, and rosemary. When cheese begins to melt, transfer really-hope-this-doesn't-fall-on-the-floor-style to cookie sheet. Repeat with second section, and bake at 350 degrees for 8-17.5 minutes (give or take). Remove from oven, slice, and enjoy every bite of color and freshness of this home-made goodness.

If you're not sold on Shrooms or Squash, Part 2 of this post will feature some Winter Citrus (fruits with a peel), so stay tuned.

In the meantime, feel free to leave some questions/details/funfacts/praise/recipes of your favorite winter vegetable or fruit in the comments below!