FOOD WORKS: Working Curriculum Document
Draft: 5/10/12
This document structures a 9 week program exploring the work of sustainable agriculture, the specific
food system, economic and community development, and societal health/nutrition in the city of Louisville,
Ky and the surrounding region.
Pre-Summer Reading:
-Required: Pollan, Michael. The omnivore's dilemma : a natural history of four meals / Michael
Pollan Penguin Press, New York : 2006
-Recommended: Berry, Wendell. Jayber Crow: A Novel. Washington, D.C.: Counterpoint.
Week 1:
Orientation:
-Location: Meet at Bellarmine University and travel to 930 Ellison Ave (House of Joe
Franzen)
-Time and Date: 1:00 pm Sunday June 3rd
-Topics:
- Orientation to Bellarmine dorms
- Why Louisville?: Two sides of food
-Obesity and Diabetes Stats
-Fat City Louisville Magazine
-Local Farm and Food
-History of local agriculture
-Connect past to current food realities
-Readings:
-“Fat City” Louisville Magazine
1st Fifth Day:
-Location: Meet at Bellarmine University and travel to Breaking New Grounds
-Time and Date: 9:00 am Wednesday June 6th
-Topics:
-Introduction to 5th days: Meet at Bellarmine
-Structure and Purpose of 5th Days
- Define key terms to be used throughout internship: Sustainable
agriculture, sustainability, closed loop system (more to be identified)
-Composting and soil making: Travel to Breaking New Grounds
-Breaking New Grounds- Amanda Fuller
-Readings:
-Wes Jackson ”The Most Serious Loss of All” (Chap 6) Consulting the Genius of
Place
- David R. Montgomery “Skin of the Earth” (Chap 2) Dirt
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-Side Trips: offered as interest dictates during the evenings and weekends
-Vermicomposting- Paul Schelenberger’s House, Ind.
-U of L Composting operation- Brian Barnes, University of Louisville
-Commercial Composting- Bryan Bogo, Ind.
Discussion Concepts:
Historical context, tobacco as an agricultural product and lifestyle, waste systems, soil as a
resource (will be expanded)
Week Objective:
1) I will be able to delineate the history that led to Louisville’s place in the sustainable
food economy as well as its place in the national obesity epidemic.
2) I will be able to analyze composting as part of a closed system, a scientific process for
sustainable food production and as a product for multiple business models.
Week 2:
2nd Fifth Day:
-Location: Start at Bellarmine and travel down Market St. to visit community gardens.
Continue down to Louisville Grows operations at Seneca Park.
-Time and Date: 9:00 am Thursday June 14th
-Topics:
-Exploration of small scale sustainable agriculture:
-Urban Homesteading: Virtual Urban Homesteading Tour
-Community Gardens: Market Street
-Louisville Grows: Valerie Magnuson
-Readings:
- Joel Salatin Everything I Want To Do Is Illegal selections
-Kelly Coyne The Urban Homestead selections
-Erik Knutzen & Carleen Madigan The Backyard Homestead selections
-Scott Kellogg & Stacey Pettigrew Toolbox for Sustainable City Living selections
-Side Trips:
-Various Louisville Urban Homesteads
-Americana Community Center and Community Gardens
Discussion Concepts:
The American lawn, cultural perspective, biodynamic farming, companion planting,
backyard gardens, Victory Gardens, social justice, community organizing and action, food
equity and equality (will be expanded)
Week Objective:
1) I will be able to describe the process of creating a community centered garden
culture starting at the homestead and expanding into a city focused model.
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2) I will be able to explore the economic, cultural and nutrition motivations behind
urban homesteading, community gardens and food oriented community
organization.
Week 3:
3rd Fifth Day:
-Location: Meet at Bellarmine and travel to Field Day Family Farms
-Time and Date: 8:30 am Monday June 18th
-Topics:
-Exploring large scale sustainable agriculture:
-Field Day Family Farms: Ivor Chodkowski
-Readings:
-Susan Witt “New Agrarians: Local Innovators” (Chap 12) The Essential Agrarian
Reader
-Wendell Berry The Unsettling of America selections
-Side Trips:
-Wild Carrot Farm, Ken Hubsch, Shelbyville, KY
-Hubers Farm, Ind.
Discussion Concepts:
Industrial vs. organic vs. local vs. sustainable, What is local?, What is sustainable?,
production and environmental impact, food miles (will be expanded)
Week Objective:
1) I will be able to synthesize the motivations of sustainability and production
agriculture in analysis of the local food producers surrounding Louisville.
2) I will be able to assess the impact of the local farms on nutrition, economic
development and community building.
3) I will be able to compare the economic models of industrial and sustainably oriented
food production institutions.
Week 4:
4th Fifth Day:
-Location: Meet at Bellarmine and travel to Fox Hollow Farms
-Time and Date: 9:00 am Thursday June 28th
-Topics:
-Exploring local and sustainable meat production:
-Fox Hollow Farms:
-Readings:
- Jonathan Safran Foer Eating Animals selections
-Side Trips:
- Small Abattoir, Lexington KY
- Fiddler Farms,
- Dream Catcher Farms
-Kenny’s Farmhouse Cheese, Austin, KY
Discussion Concepts:
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Morality of eating meat, processing, vegan/vegetarian/fruitarian diets, cultural bias (will
be expanded)
Week Objective:
1) I will be able to debate the environmental, moral, social and nutrition issues
surrounding the production, consumption and availability of meat in the American
diet.
2) I will be able to describe the process of raising and processing sustainably raised
animals.
3) I will be able to compare the difference between the industrial meat production
system and those observed through the internship.
Week 5:
5th Fifth Day:
-Location: Meet at Bellarmine and Travel downtown until after lunch. The afternoon will
be at the Jefferson County Schools’ Nutrition Service Center.
-Time and Date: 9:00 am Monday July 2nd
-Topic:
-Exploring Food Policy, Public Food Philosophy and Food as Economic
Development:
-Mayor’s Healthy Hometown Initiative
-Farm to Table Initiative: Sarah Fritschner
-JCPS Nutrition Service Center
-Readings:
-Mayor’s Healthy Hometown Webpage:
http://www.louisvilleky.gov/HealthyHometown/
- JCPS NSC Webpage:
http://www.jefferson.k12.ky.us/departments/nutritionservices/nsc/
-Side Trips:
-Healthy in a Hurry Corner Stores throughout city
Discussion Concepts:
Governmental influence, community organizing, socioeconomic inequalities (will be
expanded)
Week Objective:
1) I will be able to identify numerous institutional efforts in Louisville and explain the
motivations behind their actions and philosophies.
2) I will be able to assess the effectiveness of the institutions in having a coherent
philosophy on food economics, nutrition and food inequality on Louisville’s
population.
Week 6:
6th Fifth Day:
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-Location: Meet at Bellarmine and travel to Grasshoppers distribution center, and
Rainbow Blossom market. Tavel to 930 Ellison for lunch and walk to Mid-City Mall
ValuMart
-Time and Date: 9:00 am Monday July 9th
-Topics:
-Exploring Food Retail
-Grasshoppers food distribution
-Rainbow Blossom: Summer Auerbach
-Valumart: James Newman
-Readings:
-Side Trips:
-Bardstown Rd, Beargrass, Douglas Loop, Fern Creek Farmers Markets
-Root Celler, Ron Smith, Old Louisville, KY
Discussion Concepts:
Marketing, local dollars, labeling, economic development and innovation, expansion,
efficiency (will be expanded)
Week Objective:
1) I will be able to assess the advantages of each level of retailing local and sustainable
food products.
2) I will be able to recognize the marketing efforts to identify local, organic and
sustainably produced foods.
3) I will be able to discuss the obstacles for local and sustainably produced foods
between the production and sale processes.
Week 7:
7th Fifth Day:
-Location: Meet at Bellarmine and ride TARC to FCHS. Travel using TARC up to Fresh Start
Growers Supply
-Time and Date: 9:00 am Friday July 20th
-Topics:
-Exploring the intersection of food and education
-Fern Creek High School: Joe Franzen
-Fresh Start Growers Supply: Steve Paradis
-Readings:
-Angelique Perez “The Youth Food Diary Project”
-Michael Pollan “The Age of Nutritionalism” In Defense of Food
-Side Trips:
-Food Literacy Project at Field Day Family Farms
-Stone Soup Kitchen
-Center for Health Equity, Josh Jennings, County Health Specialist
-Gilda’s Club, Cooking with kids, Louisville, KY
Discussion Concepts:
Food Literacy, Big Mama, obesity, diabetes, socioeconomic inequality, culinary arts (will
be expanded)
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Week Objective:
1) I will be able to discuss the concept of “food literacy” pertaining to all current
generations and roles.
2) I will be able to recognize the obstacles that exist to teach cooking, nutrition and
food production to the current school age generation.
3) I will be able create a short lesson based around one aspect of food to share with an
elementary age child.
Week 8:
8th Fifth Day:
-Location: Meet at Bellarmine and travel to east Market St. Travel to meet food trucks
-Time and date: 9:00 am Monday July 23rd
-Topics:
-Exploring local food based restaurants and food vendors
-Mayan Café: Bruce Ucan
-Harvest Restaurant: Ivor Chodkowski
-Food Trucks: Holy Mole
-Readings:
-Side Trips:
-Ramsi’s Café On the World
-Eiderdown, Germantown Neighborhood, Louisville, KY
-Garage Bar, Market St., Louisville, KY
Discussion Concepts:
Pricing, advertising, menu, chefs, cuisine, food tradition and heritage, economics of running a
business (will be expanded)
Week Objective:
1) I will be able to explain the operation of a local foods based restaurant.
2) I will be able to discuss the challenges of being a restaurateur and a proponent of
local foods.
3) I will be able to analyze the impact of local foods based restaurants on Louisville’s
economy, culture and community.
Week 9:
-9th Fifth Day:
-Location: Meet at Bellarmine and travel to Ramsi’s Farm
-Time and Date: 9:00 am Tuesday July 31st
-Topics:
-Reflection and Closure
-Retrace steps
-Closing meal
-Ending assessment and Next Steps
-Readings:
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-Side Trips:
Discussion Concepts:
Week Objective:
1) I will be able to voice a holistic assessment of Louisville as an economic, cultural and
sustainable unit.
2) I will be able to identify steps that I can take as a person to directly become involved
with local food movements and activism in Louisville or any community.
Closing Event:
-Location: Meet at Green Building, 723 Market St. Louisville
-Time and Date: 6:00 Wednesday August 1st
-Topics:
-Closing event with community
Additional Events:
-Evening at Smith-Berry Winery and Farm and conversation with Mary Berry: Date TBA
-Mentor Dinners: Date TBA
-Small Group Dinners at 930 Ellison: Date TBA
-Red River Gorge outdoor culinary arts camping trip: Date TBA
-Forecastle Music Fest Culinary Volunteer opportunity: Weekend of the 14 th of July
Reflection Requirement:
-Each intern will be required to start and manage a blog for the 9 weeks documenting the 5 th day
experience and synthesizing their experience. This blog will serve as a digital journal and insightful
primary source into the complex workings of the local food economy.
Notes:
-In the evenings of the 5th days, student will have time to work on the projects listed below and
independent research based in a field of interest. All of these 5 th day projects will have the ultimate goal
of leaving a lasting food legacy and impact of the city of Louisville.
-In beginning weeks, each student will be given a tobacco plant to grow for the summer to
represent KY agricultural past.
-Each student will be responsible for designing a set of interview questions to explore a food
research question. Students will ask focus groups at farmers markets, fresh stops, grocery stores
and festivals. Students will then analyze and extrapolate trends to present to the group.
-Students will design, construct and plant raised bed gardens using local cedar 2” by 6” by 8’ to
become part of the FCHS agricultural production site.
-Students will be required to prepare and cook at least one meal using raw local ingredients to be
served on the evenings of the 5th days.
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