Rhianna grew up on a 100 acre farm in Central Texas where she developed her love of farming. She has a Masters of Science in Education & Botany from SOU (Ashland). Rhianna is the Executive Director of Cultivate Oregon, a nonprofit with the purpose to empower responsible food and farming. She is on the board of the Southern Oregon Seed Growers Association & is on the leadership team of the Oregon Community Food System Network. Rhianna works on her own organic, one-acre mini farm called Verdant Phoenix , where she lives with her husband, two young children, & beautiful, silty loam soil!

Rhianna says,

"When people understand where their food comes from, they can begin to understand its real value, and they start to see connections between how the food is grown and the health of communities. As G. Russolillo said, 'we buy food everyday, but it is an act that can change the world.'"

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www.verdantphoenix.com

I've worked at Oregon State University Extension for 12 years in the Small Farms program and coordinated the Siskiyou Sustainable Cooperative's CSA program for 14 years. I'm passionate about scale-appropriate, sustainable agriculture and nurturing a strong local food system Additionally, my husband and I own and operate Wolf Gulch Farm, a certified organic vegetable seed farm in the Siskiyou Mountains.

Maude says,

"Food has the capacity to bring people together and forge partnerships that would otherwise be impossible. I believe that food is medicine, as well as a powerful organizing tool to build bridges, solve problems, and tell stories about. The work I've done with the RVFSN has been inspiring, fun and community-building."

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Siskiyou Sustainable Coop

I’m an advocate for living a balanced life based on eating a whole foods diet, regular strenuous exercise and meaningful work. My husband, Steven, and I raised our two children around these values. These values led me to begin working at our community food co-op in 1999. In 2013, I was hired as the general manager at the Medford Food Co-op. It’s rewarding to be a part of this growing co-op and to work with other organizations that share our vision of a thriving local food economy.

Anne says:

"The Medford Food Co-op exists to sustain a vibrant, healthy, and thriving community. We aim to be a sustainable and growing business that provides economic, environmental, and social benefits for the Rogue Valley. Through collaborative partnerships with other local businesses and organizations like the Rogue Valley Food System Network, we strive to connect the community to the people and the land that produce our food. We envision a community that understands, embraces, and supports the health and economic benefits of choosing local organic food; provides all residents access to healthy food; and embraces the cooperative business model."

Contact Anne

www.medfordfood.coop

I am so blessed to be able to work with the team in the ACCESS Nutrition Department to help connect people to food resources through local food pantries. Outside of work, I love to do yoga, walk, hike, cross stitch and explore this breathtaking state as much as possible with my husband.

Marcee says:

"While a strong local food system is always important to cultivate, we have seen that in times of great systemic stress, local food options can prove to be the difference between a community that thrives and one that struggles to provide food resources, especially to its most vulnerable citizens."

Contact Marcee

ACCESS

Dr. Brook Colley is an Associate Professor and Chair of the SOU Native American Studies program. Her book Power in the Telling: Grand Ronde, Warm Springs, and Intertribal Relations in the Casino Era was published in 2019 by the University of Washington Press and it was a finalist for the Frances Fuller Victor Award for General Nonfiction. She is currently working on an intertribal Indigenous-led collaboration to enhance first food access and first food production in Southern Oregon.

Brook says:

"Water is important for all life. Food is medicine that holds that water. We must understand our foods systems as interconnected and interdependent. RVFSN strives to make important food system connections clear and creates partnerships across vital food industries and initiatives."

Contact Brook

Southern Oregon University

Sam started his career in AmeriCorps VISTA with the Josephine County Food Bank, which became a decade-long career. His work will AllCare Health focuses on the interconnection of the Social Determinants of Health with an emphasis food and housing to support healthier, more livable and vibrant communities in southwest Oregon. His primary role is in affordable community housing, which ranges from emergency shelters to planned developments.

Sam says:

"A strong food system is a vital part of strong local economies, individual and population engagement in health and wellness, and a key component in lifelong learning and a connection to both your natural and built environment. Local food systems can help people create productive businesses, reduce pollution and carbon impact, generate community resiliency to environmental or economic stress, and personal as well as professional networks. Lets talk about how!"

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AllCare Health

Coming Soon!

Sheila says:

Coming soon!

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Biodynamic Demeter Alliance

Greg became the Southern Oregon Advocate for 1000 Friends and started working to preserve farmland and increase the livability of our communities in 2002. Since then he has been a tireless voice for ensuring that our precious farmland remains available for farming. Based on his work in the Rogue Valley and elsewhere in the state, in 2015 1000 Friends created their own Food Systems Program and made Greg its Director. Greg is active in the leadership of the Oregon Community Food Systems Network.

Greg says:

"As the American Farmland Trust says, "No Farms, No Food." I like to eat, and I like to know where my food comes from. That is only possible if the farmers that provide my food can make a living doing so. I do this work with the goal of making sure that everyone that has a hand in getting healthy, nutritious food to the tables of Rogue Valley residents is treated well."

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1000 Friends of Oregon

Maggie provides nutritional expertise and support to schools in the Southern Oregon Region to help fuel healthy kids and healthy communities. My passion for nutrition and wellness has a unique “seed to table” perspective, which was developed by working first on small family farms, in culinary arts, and in a diverse portfolio of community health, Farm-2-School, food insecurity and other healthy food projects across the United States.

Maggie says:

"Healthy food is so much more than the sum of its' nutritional components - the calories, vitamins, & proteins within the foods we eat. It is intrinsically tied to our broader food system, where critical decisions related to human health and planetary health are made every day. I believe an environmental nutrition approach is an essential part of a prevention-based healthcare model to help address the rising tide of chronic diseases in our local and global communities. I am excited to learn and work with this talented team fostering positive change and resilience in our community."

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Blue Dragonfly Nutrition + Wellness

Chef Kristen loves bringing people together and believes food is one of the most universal languages there is. We have the opportunity to create culture and the kind of world we want to live in through food, which touches economics, equality, human rights, environmental practice and politics, to name a few! Her passion lies in service and bringing health and opportunity through her prepared meals business, local foods storefront, and catering service by connecting local farmers, ranchers and food producers with as many local buyers as possible. She also loves sharing her joy and passion with each client, bringing a nurturing touch to each tasty meal she provides.

Kristen says:

"I believe food is a web that can strengthen or weaken a community, depending on the practices and value attached to the impact on environment, local economy, health of workers and health of the community. If we build a system of small farms that feed the soil, care for the people that work for them and help to feed and contribute to the local economy, the ripple effect of positive impact is endless! It not only physically nourishes the land and people in the community, but creates jobs and food security, keeps our dollars local, improves the health of those who partake, enriches lives by connecting people and so much more."

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Jefferson Farm Kitchen / Chef Kristen Catering

Dr. Smith’s research explores the complex coupled human-environment systems that shape the world in which we live. He is currently exploring the impacts of the cannabis industry on food systems in Oregon and collaborating on long-term research to monitor the impacts of macroalgae development in the Mexican Caribbean.

Vincent says:

"Dr. Smith’s research explores the complex coupled human-environment systems that shape the world in which we live. He is currently exploring the impacts of the cannabis industry on food systems in Oregon and collaborating on long-term research to monitor the impacts of macroalgae development in the Mexican Caribbean. He is the founder and faculty advisor for The Farm at SOU: A Center for Sustainability and a member of the SOU Sustainability Council. His work spans several traditional disciplinary boundaries including human ecology, environmental sociology, landscape ecology, agroecology, and human geography. "

Contact Vincent

The Farm at SOU

Rebecca is passionate about spending time outdoors, getting her hands dirty, exploring, and eating good food. She feels grateful to share these loves with her family and friends as well as getting to bring what she loves into her work. She moved to the Rogue Valley to get her masters in Environmental Education after working all over the country as a park ranger and educator. She loves being part of this community and is excited to continue to see what can happen when people come together.

Rebecca says:

"We are all part of the food system. Food brings us together and knowledge about how we fit into the food system can bring empowerment. I believe giving people opportunities to connect to the local food system weaves us into the community and knowing and caring for our neighbors and the place we live. Building relationships in our community, listening to each other, and collaborating can give us the inspiration to work for improvement. Giving kids an opportunity to connect with their food, to harvest and make a meal at a farm, work in their school garden can, do so much. I feel so lucky to have a role where I get to watch kids find the joy and wonder of watching a plant grow and getting to eat it. I wish for everyone to get an opportunity to connect with their food in a way that is meaningful and uplifting."

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Rogue Valley Farm to School

I joined Raptor Creek Farm in 2017 after completing Rogue Farm Corps, an agriculture internship program. I draw on my social work degree and agriculture background to develop and facilitate programs at the JoCo Food Bank. Our goal at RCF is to grow fresh healthy food for those experiencing food insecurity, teach healthy cooking skills and educate youth. If I'm not farming, I'm often backpacking in the Kalmiopsis Wilderness with my partner, two dogs and six goats.

Kristin says:

"Eating is the foundation of every culture and a thriving Food System brings access to fresh food, living wages, land, and kinship. A resilient Food System is crucial as we endure the impacts of fires and drought. RVFSN’s collective knowledge works with current structures to secure our future in the Rogue Valley. Together we can create a system that breaks down the physical and economic barriers people face from participating in our Food System. "

Contact Kristin

Raptor Creek Farm

I thrive having a purpose that is greater than me. My expertise is "seeing the forest for the trees", knowing where we are going, laying out the strategy to get there, leading others to bring out their best selves, to contribute and find their purpose, enjoy the journey and reap the rewards when we get there.

Jo Ann says:

"Increasing demand for locally produced food will increase farmers and ranchers income and encourage not only existing ag folks to stay in the business but to encourage new producers. These buyers eager for local foods products have buying power that will influence how that food is produced which is a meaningful way to encourage healthy and sustainable local farming and ranching practices."

Rusted Gate Farm

Elizabeth loves connecting with plants, tending land, swimming in wild rivers, and cooking delicious food to share with friends. She came to the Rogue Valley in 2011 and has been putting down roots in the community and learning from the oak trees ever since. She combines her experience with organic farming, permaculture, and alternative education into her role with Rogue Farm Corps, and at her farm, Squawking Hawk Acres, where she and her partner grow native plant seeds for restoration work.

Elizabeth says:

"Elizabeth is motivated by a deep desire to connect people to the land on which they live. She believes that everyone has the right to a Sense of Place, and that we all have a responsibility to care for the earth and each other. She sees food as a uniting force that brings people together with each other, as well as with the land where they live, its seasons and natural cycles. Food offers a path towards healing, empowerment, and return to the things that matter most. On the farm, and in all life, Elizabeth honors the complexities of power and privilege and is committed to ongoing learning around how to be a better ancestor, ally, and activist."

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Rogue Valley Farm Corps

My background is in natural resource conservation, with a focus on soil health and managing water resources to benefit working lands managers, producers, and ecological function. I work to support agricultural producers in Jackson County with information, technical, financial, and planning assistance for projects that support natural resource stewardship. I thrive in finding creative solutions that benefit producers' livelihoods and provide ecological uplift for greater community benefit.

Meghan says:

"Growing a strong local food system helps to increase the resilience and robustness of individual agricultural producers' operations, connection amongst producers, and between producers, consumers, and the broader community. Food system work strengthens connections across communities in the Rogue Valley by increasing awareness and ultimately action (consumer and producer choice) to participate as a citizen of that food system and broader community."

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Jackson Soil & Water Conservation District

I am a community organizer at heart and believe we already have all the solutions to the big issues of our time, it is just a matter of building the bridges. I have spent the last 10 years developing a passion for creating sustainable food culture through education and transformational events. Within the Food System, I've played the role of farmer, chef, entrepenuer, and executive director. I am grateful to now be working with the Rogue Valley community as the Coordinator for RVFSN.

Alison says,

"I believe that food is our common denominator, a universal language, and a powerful agent of change. The role that Food Systems work is playing across the country right now is an important one, we are taking complex problems and cultivating real solutions that make a difference in local communities. From hunger and food access issues to clean water and building healthy soils, Rogue Valley Food System Network is a community of individuals, groups and organizations who are working together to identify how these complex issues impact this region with the goal of creating lasting solutions."

Contact Alison

www.rvfoodsystem.org

I am a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) focusing on strengthening regional food systems. I've dabbled in growing food, food service, clinical work, and nutrition research only to be more perplexed by it all. When I am not trying to solve wicked problems with passionate folks, I'm climbing rocks, skiing mountains, or listening to a good podcast.

Abigail says:

"Creating a more regionally-focused food system provides the opportunity to look into how a region can best serves its inhabitants. This means figuring out how all people can be fed culturally appropriate and healthy food, how farmers and growers in the region can have the support they need to thrive, how the land can be farmed sustainably and regeneratively to produce foods, how the transportation and storage of food can use resources most efficiently and effectively, and more food system related complexities. Each region will have its own way of doing things because each region has different assets and needs. The Rogue Valley can learn and grow from other models doing this work and other regions can learn from the Rogue Valley, strengthening the national and global food system in the process (ideally). "

Contact Abigail

Community organizer, farmer, homesteader, permaculture and regenerative agriculture practitioner and advocate who believes in the power of respect, connection and action to solve problems.

Sara Marie says:

"Food system work weaves individuals and isolated entities into a community where needs and resources can be made visible and addressed. This has the power to transform many of our most pressing concerns as individuals and community level. Food is a unifying connector for all people, economies, land ,water, animals. RVFSN is creating a safety net of resiliency for our region that touches all of our lives. Some direct impacts of food system work that inspires me most is creating dynamic solutions for agricultural producers to thrive in challenging conditions, increasing access for local pesticide free foods for all, especially low income folx, and land back to indigenous peoples."

Contact Sara Marie

I am passionate about all things food: growing, harvesting, cooking, baking, raising, fermenting, preserving, seed saving, reading, discussing, planning. I love the creativity that food not only affords but demands. I've worked as a writer and digital marketer for a food and farming organizations for more than five years and have a background in social services and cooperatives.

Georgia says:

"It is a most basic biological impulse: to gather, produce, preserve and consume food. But the passion, culture, creativity and complication that surrounds our food production and consumption is exclusively human. I believe it is our job as a society to turn this most fundamental experience of living into just and beautiful systems that bring people together and nurture individuals, families, and communities. I'm excited for the opportunity to work with the movers and shakers of RVFSN to help do just that. "

Contact Georgia