A summer evening farm tour and movie night can benefit the hungry in the East Tennessee area. Slow Food Knoxville and Beardsley Community Farm are hosting a screening of the movie "Food Stamped," which chronicles one couple's efforts to eat a wholesome diet on a food stamp budget.
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| Courtesy: Beardsley Community Farm |
Proceeds of the event go to support the Food in the Fort pantry project that turns volunteer-grown food into a biweekly meal for the needy in the downtown Fort Sanders area. Vegetables are grown in several raised beds on Beardsley Community Farm, and Redeeming Hope Ministries helps distribute that food through a church. Beardsley Americorps staff member Kat Reese said "Last year we had a lot of (fresh) tomatoes going to the church," so now the group wants to preserve more food to stretch its usefulness. "If we can the tomatoes they'll last so much longer," Reese explained. This year's canning project will be a teaching tool as well as a community service.
The movie fundraiser is set for Sunday, June 10, at the farm on 1719 Reynolds Street in Knoxville. While the "Food Stamped" begins outdoors at dusk, visitors are welcome for farm tours at 8:30 pm. Beardsley follows organic growing practices and offers the chance for volunteers to learn as they participate in the gardening process.
Admission is $10 or $5 if you bring a dozen new canning jars. See more here about Beardsley Community Farm, and you can RSVP at the Knoxville Permaculture Guild.