Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg (by Food Tank) 513. Alice Waters And Chellie Pingree On Food, Climate, And The Future Of Farming And Policy
Sep 24, 2025
Alice Waters, renowned chef and food activist, discusses her Edible Schoolyard Project, integrating gardens into classrooms for hands-on learning. She shares insights on building farmer relationships through local procurement and highlights the need for a regenerative school lunch system. Representative Chellie Pingree draws on her farming background to explain federal conservation programs that support sustainable practices and the resurgence of Maine agriculture. Together, they emphasize the importance of biodiversity, education, and bipartisan advocacy in shaping future food policy.
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Edible Schoolyard Origin Story
- Alice Waters recounted transforming a 1927 Berkeley schoolyard into a garden-classroom and kitchen to teach via the senses.
- That pilot became the Edible Schoolyard model replicated in thousands of schools.
Procurement Builds Direct Farmer Partnerships
- Direct, relationship-based procurement lets chefs pay farmers the real cost and buy unusual parts like weeds and offcuts.
- That model strengthens farmer incomes, reduces middlemen, and builds community resilience.
Buy Direct And Value Whole Harvests
- Buy food directly from local farmers and pay fair prices to support regenerative practices and farm labor.
- Work with farmers on what they can grow and accept full harvests, including "weeds," to increase viability.
