Six Questions with Uli Koester of Midwest Food Connection
What is the main function of Midwest Food Connection?
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| Uli Koester of MFC |
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| Telling the story of sustainable foods |
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| On the road at Riverbend Organic Farm |
| Photos courtesy Chris Bohnhoff |
Midwest Food Connection (MFC) teachers visit elementary school classrooms, where they lead hour-long lessons on healthful eating and natural foods.
Our objectives are to:
- Provide children with opportunities to study and taste natural and organic foods
- Create an understanding in children of the origins and traditions of regionally produced foods.
- Teach children about the methods and benefits of sustainable agriculture.
How did the Midwest Food Connection begin?
The Midwest Food Connection began in 1992 when two co-op general managers, Mary Corteau of the Mississippi Market and Dan Foley of the Wedge Co-op, decided to reach out to the elementary schools in their community. In the mid-90's, MFC was formally founded as an independent non-profit with its own board of directors.
As of fall 2009, the organization has major funding from six natural food co-ops in the Twin Cities area: Lakewinds, Linden Hills, Seward, and Valley, as well as the two original sponsors. In addition, MFC has been awarded grants from the Bremer and Carolyn Foundations.
What schools do you primarily go to?
By and large our teachers visit the schools in the vicinity of our sponsoring co-ops. We make our program available to these schools and they invite us to teach. Over the years we have been building partnerships with about 55 schools, and we visit them every year if we can.
New schools can always participate by calling or writing us. We reserve time each year for new contacts, so if a teacher or parent calls, we can almost always make a visit happen.
What has been your most memorable experience?
The dirt lesson is always fun! I call it "Feeding the Soil" - a simple lesson on soil fertility that opens up new dimensions for students. They all know that plants need soil, but what does soil need? Children draw a cross-section of a farm and I give them earthworm soil to spread around. It's great to have the kids learn so much by getting their fingers dirty. Teachers get a little nervous about the soil on the desks, but it really cleans up easily.
What has been the parental response to this curriculum?
Parents love our program. Many work hard to give their children nutritious meals, and they are extremely grateful for our inspiration and support. Parents often stop me in the hallways and parking lots to thank me for influencing their children's eating habits.
A parent from the Kenwood neighborhood told me this story. When I started teaching the first of her two sons about six years ago, her family began shopping at the Wedge, and they "changed their whole approach to food." Now second son is in my classes, and actively shares food traditions from the biracial family's many traditions. The older son is in middle school and doesn't want anything to do with school lunches. He gives the mother a list of what she should buy at the Wedge and often makes his own lunches.
Where do you see the Midwest Food Connection in five years?
In five years we will be a somewhat larger organization, and we will have collaborative projects with like-minded local non-profits. Perhaps we will start a middle school program. I would also like to see our classroom teaching correspond and work in tandem with positive changes in the school lunchroom. As school districts improve their lunches with more local and nutritious foods, the Midwest Food Connection can educate and inspire students to eat these foods on a daily basis.
I also see that our primary mission will continue to go beyond simply what children eat. Our young ones deserve and need connections to the land, they must become part of an earth-careful culture. Food, gardens, farms, and soil are the bridge we can provide.
For more on the Midwest Food Connection read
