Community conversation on food security calls for new approach

Community conversation on food security calls  for new approach
An audience of more than 100 residents of Connecticut and New York assembled for a panel discussion on food security in the tri-corner towns and what is being done to address it. Panelists from left to right were Linda Quella of Tri-Corner Food Equity, Jordan Schmidt of the Northeast Community Center, Sarah Chase of Chaseholm Farm, Maggie Cheney of Rock Steady Farm, Renee Giroux of the Northwest Food Hub and Sarah Salem of the Hudson Valley Food Systems Coalition. 
Photo by Leila Hawken

AMENIA — That food security is not a question of having enough food, but of ensuring that all individuals and households have safe, consistent access to that food was the premise of “Food Security: A Conversation,” a panel hosted at Troutbeck on Sunday, Nov. 5, and attended by over 100 residents of the tristate region.

Food insecurity within the population has remained steady for the past 25 years, said Linda Quella, founder of Tri Corner Food Equity, who organized and moderated the event.

Creating resilient and sustainable access to quality food across populations, she said, requires a reexamination of the ways that food is grown, distributed and accessed throughout the region. 

Typically, organic, sustainable farming practices require more labor, resulting in higher food costs; ultimately, said Quella, higher-quality produce is often inaccessible to most of the community.

The question becomes one of getting quality food to those who typically can’t afford it, and get farmers a fair return.

Representatives of local networks of food pantries, warehouses, and farms made up the panel.  

Jordan Schmidt, Food Program Director at The North East Community Center (NECC), in Millerton, raised the issue of fair pricing in her discussion of NECC’s fresh food pantry, which delivers a variety of fresh, locally produced vegetables, milk, eggs and proteins to food-insecure residents.

The program not only makes it possible for low income households to obtain fresh, nutritious food that they might not be able to afford, she said, but it also enables several small participating farms to increase their production and sales.

Getting food directly from farms into the food pantry system demands a shift from transactional to relational system of exchange, said Quella. Sarah Salem, founder and director of Hudson Valley Food Systems Coalition, emphasized the importance of fostering connectivity and trust.

Renee Giroux, manager of the Northwest Connecticut Food Hub, said that food hubs can assist in resolving logistics and distribution issues faced by farmers, as well as ensure fair prices for their food. One of her goals is getting locally farmed food into schools in the Northwest Corner, she said.

Maggie Cheney, farmer and co-founder of cooperative Rock Steady Farm in Millerton, described how the farm’s partnerships with food pantries and health centers suggest a model that supports diversity and inclusivity within the local food ecosystem. Cheney said that Rock Steady’s commitment to diversity extends to both farm workers and crops, and ultimately makes both the operation and the output of the farm more resilient.

Sarah Chase, farmer and owner of Chaseholm Farm, Schmidt, and Cheney all emphasized the importance of asking the community how to make food access easier in their day to day lives as a way of understanding where and how resources are best distributed.

In particular, panelists emphasized the importance of mitigating the lack of affordable housing.

“We don’t have food if we don’t have farmers,” Quella said.

“Housing insecurity is connected to everything else,” said Cheney.

That everything is connected to everything else was perhaps the forum’s central message. Panelists made it clear that improvements across housing, transportation, healthcare and environmental sustainability are all critical to addressing food access. 

They also emphasized the need for collaboration between farmers, community organizations, and government entities. System-wide improvement can only be implemented with system-wide participation, they said.

The Hotchkiss Library plans to continue the series of community conversations on food security, the next such forum scheduled to occur in January, 2024. The panel was sponsored by the new Guild chapter at Hotchkiss Library of Sharon.

Latest News

HVRHS triple jumper places 9th in New England
Anthony Labbadia set a new HVRHS record with a 44-foot one-inch triple jump June 14. The distance earned him 9th place at the New England track and field championship, which this year was held in New Britain, Conn.
Photo by Riley Klein

NEW BRITAIN — Anthony Labbadia soared to 9th place in the triple jump at the 2025 New England track and field championships Saturday, June 14.

On his first attempt of the event he leaped 44 feet and one inch, qualifying for the finals and setting the new Housatonic Valley Regional High School record. The previous school record of 43 feet eight inches was set by Don Hurlbutt in 1967.

Keep ReadingShow less
Pirates go back-to-back as league champs

The Canaan Pirates pose as champions after defending the Northwest Connecticut District 6 Majors Little League title.

Photo by Riley Klein

THOMASTON The Canaan Pirates are champions once more.

In the Northwest Connecticut District 6 Majors Little League title game Friday, June 13, the Pirates defeated Thomaston JRC Transportation by a score of 6-2.

Keep ReadingShow less
Red Sox end season with comeback win

NORTH CANAAN — The Canaan Red Sox ended the season with a thrilling 14-13 win over the Tri-Town Phillies Thursday, June 12.

Canaan trailed for most of the game but kept it close. Ultimately, the Red Sox secured the victory with a final-inning comeback in front of the home crowd at Steve Blass Field.

Keep ReadingShow less
State Rep. Horn injured in running accident

State Rep. Maria Horn (D-64) was treated for her injuries at Sharon Hospital.

Photo by John Coston

The day after concluding what has been described as a grueling legislative session, State Rep. Maria Horn (D-64) had a running accident, leaving her with a broken pelvis and collarbone among other more minor bruises and abrasions. Despite the injuries, she is in good spirits and recuperating at home, eager to get back on her feet.

Horn said after spending weeks in the assembly hall, she was eager to get some outdoor exercise in, but perhaps pushed a little too hard too soon. She said she was excited to get a run in on the morning of Friday, June 6, but was still exhausted from her time in Hartford and in the final stretch of recovering from a meniscus repair surgery in December.

Keep ReadingShow less