Concentrate Speaker Event: Going Homegrown

If you've heard about the SELMA Breakfast Salon, well, you probably already know about its commitment to local food production. If you've eaten there, you know how good that locally-produced food tastes.

In 2007 Jeff, and his wife Lisa Gotlieb, created Repasts, Present & Future, to support local non-profits working in food production, security and education. Part of their effort included SELMA, which brought in dozens of volunteers, raised nearly $120K from its meal donations, and lead to the construction of 10, four-season hoop houses.

Committed to the local food movement, McCabe and Gotlieb have helped nurture a groundswell of interest and support for sustainable food production and distribution.

And their ambitions only grow, with plans to create a business incubator program that is focused on starting new sustainable practice farms in and around Washtenaw County, to launch a new hoop-house manufacturing facility (the first in Michigan), and to transition land typically earmarked for commodity crops into 10 to 40 acre farmsteads employing sustainable practices.

The couple is also involved in Ann Arbor's HomeGrown Festival, the Local Food Summit and 10 Percent Washtenaw, a campaign to build a $100 Million food system in our county over the next 10 years.

Lisa and Jeff have generously agreed to take time out of their insanely busy schedule to talk to Concentrate's readers about how they got started, why building a local food movement is important, and the future they envision for Washtenaw County.

This is a speaker event you don't want to miss!


WHAT: Concentrate's Speaker Series event "Going Homegrown"

WHEN: Thursday, December 16th from 8:00 - 9:30 AM

WHERE: The Kerrytown Concert House
415 N. 4th Avenue, Ann Arbor

The event is free and open to Concentrate's readers, but seating is limited to roughly 80 people so you must pre-register below.

The presentation will begin around 8:15 a.m. and run for roughly 45 minutes.

Locally roasted coffee and locally made breakfast goodies will be provided. Discussion and networking before and afterward is greatly encouraged.

Concentrate's Speaker Series is sponsored by the Michigan State Housing Development Authority.






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