The Morris Farm, a working farm and education center in Wiscasset that promotes sustainable agriculture and stewardship, and Chewonki, an environmental education organization that promotes sustainable living, are sponsoring the second annual forum on food security in Lincoln County. Open to the public, the forum is entitled “Local Food, Local Hunger” and will be held on March 5 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Chewonki Center for Environmental Education, 485 Chewonki Neck Road in Wiscasset.

Combining presentations, panel discussions and breakout sessions, the “Local Food, Local Hunger” forum will look at restoring our local food system to improve food security in Lincoln County. Four panelists will discuss how their work enhances residents’ access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food: Scoot Cooper (Crown O'Maine Organic Co Op), Hannah Court (Wandering Root Farm), Colleen Fuller (Merrymeeting Food Council), Mike Glennon (Lincoln County Healthcare).

Morning informational sessions will provide participants with perspectives on food councils, nutrition incentive programs, curricular approaches to teaching about food insecurity, fighting childhood hunger, and resource development. Afternoon discussion sessions will address strategies for improving food security. Hannah Semler from Healthy Acadia will discuss gleaning; Blair Currier, Portland Public School’s local food specialist, will discuss novel approaches to incorporating healthy food in school meals; and representatives from FARMS (Focus on Agriculture in Rural Maine Schools) and the Edgecomb Eddy School Garden project will discuss innovative, community-based connections with the food system. Other sessions will address transportation, senior hunger, and reducing food waste.

Lunch and snacks will be served at the event. For more information about the conference, or to register, contact the Morris Farm at 882-4080 or online at www.morrisfarm.org.

This event is brought to you with support from Hannaford’s & MeHAF.