August 14, 2024 – Santa Fe College’s Charles L. Blount Center will host a day of free workshops and presentations focused on improving access and expanding opportunities for small farms, farmers markets, gardens and community building in Florida.

• What: Symposium on traditional foods
• When: Friday, August 23, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
• Where: SF Blount Hall, 530 W. University Avenue, Gainesville, FL 32601

Activities

• 9:30 – 10:00 am Coffee and registration
• 10:00 a.m. Keynote speech by Dr. Jennifer Taylor, Florida A&M University (FAMU) on various cultivation initiatives and sustainable agricultural resources throughout the state of Florida
• 11:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Workshops and lectures
• 3:30 p.m. Closing remarks by Dr. Anna Prizzia, Commissioner for District 3 in Alachua County
• 16:30 Mixer at Cypress & Grove Brewery, 1001 NW 4th Street, Gainesville, Florida

Traditional foods from Florida

The symposium is presented by the Florida Heritage Foods Project, a community-based educational initiative that emphasizes the historical, cultural, nutritional and culinary significance of crops essential to Florida’s diverse heritage. This project helps students learn about Florida’s history through food while promoting a more sustainable local food system. Developed by a team of community college faculty and staff, it uses a variety of teaching tools to engage students in discussions about local food security, public service and multiculturalism both inside and outside the classroom.

To learn more about how this initiative will be presented, you can register for free tickets to this year’s Heritage Foods Symposium on the event page.