The UCC Library recently added new books about food, agriculture, nutrition and more, just in time for the Umpqua Valley Food Day! Take a look at our Food Day Reading List for books and DVDs about farming, eating, cooking and food policy. There are dozens to choose from!

Then, come celebrate the abundance of Douglas County at the Umpqua Valley Food Day! There will be a potluck, seed swap, and an information session presented by local farmers, producers and processors. Food Day will be at the Lookingglass Grange at 7426 Lookingglass Rd. in Roseburg from 5:30 to 8 on Wednesday, October 24. See below for more details.

Umpqua Valley Food Day details:
1. Potluck Dinner: We’ll begin eating at 6 p.m. so make sure you come in time to have your dish on the table for everyone to enjoy! Don’t forget a serving utensil! Bring your own cups, dishes and utensils if you’re able. There will be some disposable extras on hand. There will be a sink available for washing dishes before taking them home.
2. Seed Swap: A seed swap is a way to exchange seeds and gardening information. You can participate whether you’re a home gardener with a few flower seeds or a farmer with bulk seed leftovers. The seed swap will be informal and ongoing throughout the evening. There will be tables designated for swapping seeds and gardening or farming knowledge.
3. Local farmers, producers and processors will share briefly about their businesses, what products and services they have available, and how and when customers can best access them.

Hope to see you there! Learn more about Food Day and RSVP to this event at http://www.foodday.org/16454/umpqua_valley_food_day.

You can contact Laura Stroud with questions or an RSVP at lstroud@nwumpqua.org or (514) 643-3931.
Can’t make it? You can still participate in Food Day! Food Day is a nationwide celebration with events happening in all 50 states. Here are some ways to celebrate on your own:

Try buying a fruit or vegetable you’ve never eaten before from a Farmers Market near you. Ask the farmer for their suggestions about how to cook it.

Tell your kids about what your favorite home-cooked meal was when you were a kid. Ask them why their favorite meal is their favorite. Is it something you can make with food produced in Douglas County?

Read a book from our reading list!

Learn about hunger in our community. Did you know that according to the USDA about 13.6 percent of households in Oregon suffered food insecurity in 2009-2011? Visit http://oregonhunger.org/ for more information and ways to help. 

Thank you, Laura Stroud, for guest blogging!