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Reflecting on the Heirloom Exposition 2015
By Colby Halligan, Farmer at The Jeavons Center


Displays of abundant variety can be seen at the Heirloom Expo.
PHOTO CREDIT: Gardenbetty.com

"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe."
–John Muir, My First Summer in the Sierra

The National Heirloom Exposition, hosted in Santa Rosa, CA, is an annual celebration of the pure food movement as it attracts pure food enthusiasts, farmers, school groups, entrepreneurs, talented home gardeners, and leaders in the local food movement. As a non-profit event, all funds are donated to local schools that either practice sustainable food programs or are in the midst of exploring diversified environmental education initiatives.

Regardless of these intents, the Heirloom Exposition remains an opportunity for like-minded people to connect over their passion for growing, supplying, and consuming healthy, nourishing food. As a result, thousands of concerned citizens arrived for three days to learn about the differing methods of food production available. Speakers and teachers alike not only explored fermentation, GROW BIOINTENSIVE and biodynamic agriculture, sustainable bee-keeping, and poultry and livestock production, but did all that next to talented chefs who displayed the benefits of each method in the form of mouth-watering organic and local foods. Whoa.

Despite the remarkably intricate displays and vast array of inspirational speakers, the Heirloom Exposition is the most popular for its ability to connect individuals with a deep-seated passion for improving the quality and security of our current food systems. It was a privilege for all Ecology Action staff and interns to be able to talk with individuals about their personal experiences in cultivation careers. For me, it was enlivening to discuss how GROW BIOINTENSIVE mini-farming can strengthen the greater sustainable agricultural movement by providing individuals and communities a more resilient food system, which yields 2 to 6 times more food with nearly 66-88% less water! I couldn't believe how excited I was to discuss the growing of grains, the joy of double-digging, and the importance of seed-saving to promote community self-sufficiency.

It is evident that this Exposition leaves individuals not only with full minds and bellies, but also with fundamental skills for growing healthy, sustainable food, experiencing culinary epiphanies, and having innovative visions for our food's future. It allows EA to connect with the greater sustainable food movement outside the foothills of Willits and the coastal cliffs of Mendocino.

Melon display, Heirloom Expo 2015 Melon display a the Heirloom Expo.
PHOTO CREDIT: Rootsimple.com


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