Food Day to arrive Oct. 24

Deciding what to eat can have many implications. Food Day is a day set aside to think about that.

Food touches the lives of everyone and in recognition of that a new national event begins this year. Just as Earth Day is celebrated every April 22, Food Day will be held every Oct. 24.

The goals are to reduce diet-related disease by promoting safe, healthy foods; support sustainable farms and limit subsidies to big agribusiness; expand access to food and alleviate hunger; protect the environment and animals by reforming factory farms; promote health by curbing junk-food marketing to kids; support fair conditions for food and farm workers.

In Fairbanks, Food Day has already been recognized with an official proclamation signed by Mayor Luke Hopkins, and UAF School of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences, Cooperative Extension Service and the UAF Anthropology Society are hosting an event at the Wood Center Oct. 24 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

On the agenda are a Food Jeopardy game, “Iron Chef” cookoff, demonstrations, exhibits, a Taste of Alaska booth, lectures and a film, Seeds of Deception. Exhibitors include:

UAF Student Health & Counseling Center
UAF Cooperative Extension Service
Ethnobotany program
UAF School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
Johnson Family Farm
Calypso Farm and Ecology Center
Ester Seed Library Program
Alaska Community Agriculture Association
Farm to School
Reindeer Research Program
UAF Sustainability
Fairbanks Soil & Water Conservation District
Chena Hot Springs Resort
Homegrown Market
Fairbanks Community Cooperative Market
Georgeson Botanical Garden
School of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences
Stone Soup Cafe
Alaska Center for Natural Medicine
Alaska Youth for Environmental Action
Center for Alaska Native Health Research

The Anthropology Society is planning the lectures and films. At 1 p.m. "Fresh" will be shown upstairs in the Wood Center Room E/F and at 3 p.m. "Seeds of Deception."

In the ballroom, lectures will begin at 1 p.m., with Rich Seifert, UAF energy and housing specialist, identifying the components necessary for healthy sustainable living, such as food security, health and housing.

At 2 p.m., Rose Meier and Amy Breen will present "Ethnobotany: Traditional Uses and Knowledge of Native Plants." Breen is a post-doctoral fellow in the UA Geography Program and Rose is the head of the Ethnobotany Certificate Program through the Kuskokwim Campus.

At 3 p.m. there will be a talk by Marsha Munsell of the UAF Cooperative Extension Service. The topic is "Fermentation: A New Look at an Old Preservation Method." Munsell will describe the history and health benefits of using fermentation methods for preserving food and teach the basics of how to do it.

Food Day is free and open to everyone. Park in the Nenana or Taku lots ($3 for the day) and take the shuttle to the Wood Center. For more information contact Nancy Tarnai, ntarnai@alaska.edu or 474-5042.

In Anchorage, the Alaska Center for the Environment and St. Elias Specialty Hospital are hosting events. The Sitka Food Co-op is sponsoring a "dinner and movie night" Oct. 22 at Harrigan Centennial Hall. The film Fresh! will be shown and an organic dinner will be served by Sitka Spruce Catering.