Interview: Todd McLane, Inspiring Youth To Build Sustainable Local Food Systems

My posts in the last two months have been about revitalizing communities and the movement towards locally grown food.  You might be wondering “Well, how do we do this?” Below is my interview with an individual who is educating young adults about sustainable farming and local food systems.

I recently met Todd McLane, the Manager of West Haven Farm, in Ithaca NY during a visit to the Eco Village in Ithaca.  Todd is an inspiring figure in the growing local movement in upstate NY.

Todd McLane at West Haven Farms

He is an Advisory Committee Member of Groundswell. Groundswell Center for Local Food and Farming is a non-profit and West Haven Farm is one of its “main farm campuses.” Groundswell’s mission is to help youth and adult learners develop the skills, knowledge and inspiration for building sustainable local food systems. Groundswell’s focus is on providing hands-on learning opportunities with real working farms in the Finger Lakes region.

Resident Planning Geek: One of Groundswell’s many programs is a 6 credit Summer Practicum entitled Sustainable Farming and Local Food Systems through your local Community College. How does this program target young adults specifically?

Todd McLane: It’s a brand new program.  We got approval through our local community college. It’s open to anyone, but you can get academic credit for it, 6 credits. If you’re in high school and you want to get a jumpstart on college and you can get credit. We are doing outreach at the 3 local colleges and high schools in the area, Facebook and word of mouth.

I think there is a young generation that wants a connection to their food but doesn’t know how to do that. By offering this course we’re hoping to open doors and give people the opportunity to learn.  We’re doing a lot of outreach.

Resident Planning Geek: What is the most frequent reaction of young adults who travel to West Haven Farm for the first time to learn about the work you do?

Todd McLane: There are many reactions.  One, depending on whether it’s their first time going to a farm, is enthusiasm. Another is appreciation at getting their hands dirty.  Taking a step back there is awe of what’s happening, at the tangible results, the taste, touch and feel of pulling carrots, for example, out of the ground.

When I was in high school this was far off the radar. It’s encouraging to see young adults who want a connection to their food and where it’s from.

Resident Planning Geek: You’re developing the curriculum for this course.  Could you share with me one assignment students will be responsible for?

Todd McLane: One of the first assignments is keeping a 48 hour food log where people can write down where they eat, shop, and get their food from. The 48 hour food log will be started prior to the start of the class and we will analyze them during the first class. In class they will match their food and see where it comes from and how many miles it travels to get to their plate.  We’re guessing most people don’t know about their local food source.

Resident Planning Geek: What will a typical week be like for students?

Todd McLane: The class will be held 3 days a week.  Once a week will be spent on the farm. That’s the section I’ll be teaching – sustainable farming. We’ll bring guest speakers, nutritionists, area college professors, local experts and Economists who will focus on food systems and the merits of locally grown food. Food systems is where your food is grown, where it’s coming from, where you can purchase it, how far it’s traveling. 15 miles, 30 miles, or 1500 miles, for its consumer base – restaurants for example. Are restaurants buying food from your local farmers or from miles away? Economist will explain food miles and how it impacts local farmers.

Students will be going on trips to farms, both conventional and organic to see there is a wide range in Ithaca’s local food system.

Resident Planning Geek: Are there other organizations that involve young adults in CSA’s to help them gain experience in the field?

Todd McLane: There are organizations like the national Farm to School organization and The Farm Based Education Association. There is NOFA NJ an educational non-profit.

Also, every state has a land grant university – for us farmers there are professors who want to do research on a working organic farm.  We just provide access to the space and they provide their results and recommendations to us.

Each state has land grant extension agencies in every county throughout the state that deals with agriculture.  (In NJ its Rutgers University). Your extension offers courses, workshops. They do studies. That’s where our real connection is. For someone who’s never grown anything before it’s a resource.

Young adults should contact local farms and volunteer. www.wwoof.org (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) is a way to travel and gain experience in agriculture as well.

Resident Planning Geek: Finally, what is the first step a young adult should take who wants to explore starting a CSA?  Can it begin with a few young friends and a garden, or are more resources required?

Todd McLane: The first step in exploring the start of a CSA is to start by growing food at a community garden or home and to volunteer at a local farm. Think about doing an Apprenticeship or Internship on a farm. There are so many models to choose from. It all depends on what you are hoping to accomplish. I would definitely start small and grow from there. It takes a lot of start-up and time and energy to start growing food for your community. It’s a very rewarding experience to do this for a living.

West Haven Farm, located in Ithaca NY, was started in 1992 and produces high-quality certified organic produce. Ithaca has been a leader in CSA dating back more than a decade.

Looking for farms in your community? The website Localharvest.org. The website maps CSAs and farmers markets throughout the country.

© 2011 W. S. Hughes