Local Food and Farming at Earth Day Festival April 18th

[Jennifer Hagan-Dier]

Greetings Farmers and Friends!

It is that time again, time to not only get ready for this year's
growing season, but also to make your plans to join us for the eighth
Nashville Earth Day Festival on Saturday, April 18th from 11:00 a.m.
to 7:00 p.m. at Centennial Park. In keeping with the increasing
interest in and popularity of local foods and sustainable farming we
will again have our own Local Foods and Farming section at the
Festival.

This year our Local Food and Farming Section will highlight the
importance of eating locally in order for us "grow a greener
Nashville". Now more than ever we all see the importance both
environmentally and economically of supporting and growing our local
food system and this is OUR opportunity to not only promote our
amazing community and celebrate all we've accomplished together over
the years, but also reach out to the public to share what each one of
us is doing to better our local food and farming community.

Sponsored again this year by the 'Friends of the Nashville Farmers'
Market' and the new Buy Fresh Buy Local Middle Tennessee Chapter, the
section will feature booths and workshop tents for all of you who are
interested in being a part. I have set up a Facebook page for the
festival to promote our section and all of the exhibitors and
workshops who join us so let me know if you cannot find it..

This event attracts over 10,000 residents and guests and our section
is one of the most popular every year. The event is FREE to guests and
to all non-profits and farmers who join us. Here is what I need from
you to make this a success:

(1) Mark your calendar for Saturday, April 18th and make the
commitment to join us in the Food and Farming section of the Nashville
Earth Day Festival (you can take a break, I promise);

(2) Email or call me 423-5824 and let me know you can join us as an
exhibitor, presenter, or volunteer;

(3) Email me to let me know if you have any thoughts or interesting
ideas for activities that day;

(4) Email me if you are interested in hosting a workshop or conducting
a demo during the day - we have not set a schedule so any ideas are
welcome;

(5) Forward this to any farmers, gardeners or community organizations
that I've missed and let me know.

Feel free to contact me with any questions or if you need any
additional information.  I appreciate all you do every day to
make Middle Tennessee a great place to eat local and I hope you can
join us to let the other 10,000 people around town know more about
what we are all doing to better our world.

Cheers!

Jennifer Hagan-Dier
Co-Chair, Nashville Earth Day Festival 2009
President, Friends of the Nashville Farmers' Market