Church Farms To Table - Pastor Heber Brown III

Houses of faith can become powerful agents and actors of improving food security in their own community in ways that go beyond charity. It is organizing the hungry and not just feeding the needy. The largest institution in the Black community, the Black church, replete with offerings to fill multiple needs., from the physical grounds, to classrooms, kitchens, to church vans and buses, to the land, and the people. In this podcast first published April 2024, Pastor Heber Brown III, explains the launching of the Black Church Food Security Network (BCFSN) in 2014 with a garden at his own church, Pleasant Hope Baptist Church in Baltimore, now they have 250 in the network. BCFN was founded after he noticed a pattern of hospitalizations related to diet and other issues and was determined to change health outcomes for his congregation. What began with encouraging churches to start gardens on church premises, has since grown to include encouraging congregations to make institutional purchases from Black farmers, host farmers markets, preferably on Sundays after church, and arrange tours of Black farms.

www.blackchurchfoodsecurity.net

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About Table Talk

The Farm To Table Talk podcast is a virtual table for conversations about ideas, insights, and journeys of chefs, farmers, policymakers, researchers, NGOs and the food-focused public about our food and how it is grown, prepared and shared throughout society. The host, Rodger Wasson is a food and agriculture veteran. Raised on his family’s farm in Central Illinois, he has worked for and with every size, type, and age of farmers and aspiring farmers. Whether new, old, big or small, they are all part of today’s food movement. The Farm to Table Talk podcasts are for those interested in journeys within the modern food system and the stories behind our every bite. Contact rodger@idea-farming with your thoughts, suggestions or questions.