Brazilian Veggie Fest!

On September 5th about 100 people came to the Brazilian Veggie Fest at the Somerville Community Growing Center, enjoying dinner, music, and opportunities to learn from several other innovative programs about fresh local agriculture and vegetables.

Since the spring, the Somerville Community Corporation and Somerville Community Growing Center have been partnering with Frank Mangan, a professor of UMass Extension who has spent over the last 10 years increasing the local production of vegetables popular among immigrant communities here in Massachusetts. Mangan has specialized in Brazilian produce, among others, he has focused on jiló, a small green eggplant, and taioba, a large leafy green.

Access to these and other familiar items is important for immigrant families not only because higher consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables leads to long term health benefits but also because it provides a channel for maintaining cultural traditions over generations. Since these items can be grown here in Massachusetts and the cost and availability are varied, there are considerable opportunities for the aspiring gardener or entrepreneur to make additional income selling them.

During the winter, jiló transported from Florida retails for $5.99/lb here in Somerville, though 4 years ago it was scarce if not impossible to find, as is currently the situation with taioba. Largely as a result of Mangan's work with commercial farmers, both the plants and fruits of jiló are now grown locally – making for a fresher, more affordable vegetable that supports the livelihood of Massachusetts farmers. During August and September, the prime months for growing Jiló, it now retails for between $3 and $4 a pound because of the increased availability. At the Brazilian Veggie Fest, one excited participant sold jiló from one of the 66 plants he has in his backyard locally: He sells 15 cases a week.

Over the next few years, Mangan and others will be working to increase the availability of taioba, which is being grown for demonstrational purposes at the Somerville Community Growing Center. On hearing about the plants a resident of Union Square said, "I haven't seen or eaten taioba in twenty-two years: Don't show it to me because I'll cry and take the plants!" The Growing Center will have seedlings available next May 3rd at their Spring Garden Day Celebration. More information about these and other culturally specific vegetables can be found on Mangan's website: www.worldcrops.org.

Participants also enjoyed speaking with individuals from the New Entry Sustainable Farming Project ( http://nesfp.nutrition.tufts.edu/) , that assists immigrants with agricultural experience to apply their skills in their new environment and become commercial farmers. Members from the Cambridge Health Alliance had material on Fitness Buddies and other programs.

Did you LOVE the food from the Brazilian Veggie Fest?

All of the food at the Brazilian Veggie Fest was made from vegetables that can be grown regionally and was donated by Union Square businesses, so you can easily get more of it! If you've never had Brazilian food, be prepared for a freshly prepared buffet you purchase by the pound, certain to please a wide array of tastes and diets.

Café Belo generously donated collards, rice, zucchini, fried plantains, and feijao tropeiro (a traditional dish of beans, manioc flour, beans, and eggs.) They are located at 120 Washington Ave. (http://www.yelp.com/biz/o-dqVb8nbtHuJTrFCM4EBA ). Sabor do Brasil (http://www.yelp.com/biz/sZvFQ9bsSSwDeW__ea1yqA ) , 431 Somerville Ave. cooked a savory winter squash dish and collard greens. Pao De Acucar, ( http://www.chow.com/places/1104) at 57 Union Square brought homemade feijoada (black beans and meat) and a zucchini dish. Even better, the first two restaurants have been approved by Shape Up Somerville, meaning that they:

Offer low fat dairy products

Offer some dishes in a smaller portion sizes

Offer fruits and vegetables as side dishes

Have visible signs that highlight their healthier options

The perfect meal was accented by grapes which participants harvested right at the Growing Center itself. As the sun went down, seven members of Bloco, (http://www.afrobrazil.org/batukaxe.php ) an Afro-Brazilian drum group, pulled the evening to mellow and joyful ending.

A Taste of Leadership: SCC's 2007 Membership Gathering

More than 100 SCC members and guests attended A Taste of Leadership, SCC's annual member gathering, on July 23. Attendees enjoyed musical entertainment, food, and fellowship, and received a preview of SCC's new Leadership Institute, which begins this fall.

Membership committee members led the introductory activities. Chair Susie White welcomed the group, then Julia Garcia led the entire group in a "stand and be counted" exercise, giving everyone present an opportunity to take stock of the different people in the room and the varied connections they have to SCC. Joy Friedman, another member of the membership committee, shared her personal story of leadership development and summarized the different workshops being offered throughout the night. Jeanette Amazeen-Thomas then presented the SCC Member Scholarship Awards to Emmannuella Prudent and Leanne Darrigo! Each spoke briefly about their reasons for having pursued the scholarship and the ways it would help to advance their leadership skills.

Workshops and small group discussions followed. Members took part in one of the following:

Understanding the Immigrant Context in Somerville: This workshop engaged attendees on the larger context for immigrant and immigrants in Somerville, educating attendees on the historical and economic background of immigration in Somerville.

Strategies from Other Communities on Anti- Displacement: This workshop engaged the attendees on the issue of fighting displacement by bringing together leaders from Chinatown and Jamaica Plain, and SCC's very own Affordable Housing Organizing Committee (AHOC).

How to do a Power Analysis: In this workshop attendees learned about the how to approach a problem by understanding and leveraging key players with power to bring about change.

Personal development: Financial literacy: In this workshop attendees learned about making and sticking to a budget and different ways to cut personal spending.

Read a summary of participant evaluations of the event by clicking here.

Learn more about SCC's Leadership Development Institute, which begins this fall. Click here for information and an application form.