“FRESH” celebrates the farmers, thinkers and business people across America who are re-inventing our food system. Each has witnessed the rapid transformation of our agriculture into an industrial model, and confronted the consequences: food contamination, environmental pollution, depletion of natural resources and morbid obesity. Forging healthier, sustainable alternatives, they offer a practical vision for a future of our food and our planet.

Among several main characters, “FRESH” features urban farmer and activist, Will Allen, the recipient of MacArthur’s 2008 Genius Award; sustainable farmer and entrepreneur Joel Salatin, made famous by Michael Pollan’s book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma; and supermarket owner David Ball, challenging our Wal-Mart dominated economy.

Following the movie, hear from local experts about how the Charlotte area is working to become more environmentally friendly through healthy eating and drinking. This event is Free to the public. This event takes place in Tate Hall on CPCC's Central Campus. Tate Hall is on the second floor level of the Overcash Building at the corner of Elizabeth Ave. and Kings Drive. (See map at the bottom of this page)

For more information, call Ernie McLaney at 704.330.6427.

About the Movie:

FRESH celebrates the farmers, thinkers and business people across America who are re-inventing our food system. Each has witnessed the rapid transformation of our agriculture into an industrial model, and confronted the consequences: food contamination, environmental pollution, depletion of natural resources, and morbid obesity. Forging healthier, sustainable alternatives, they offer a practical vision for a future of our food and our planet.

Among several main characters, FRESH features urban farmer and activist, Will Allen, the recipient of MacArthur’s 2008 Genius Award; sustainable farmer and entrepreneur, Joel Salatin, made famous by Michael Pollan’s book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma; and supermarket owner, David Ball, challenging our Wal-Mart dominated economy.    www.FRESHTheMovie.com.

Check out a video clip here.

Speaker Biographies

Thom Duncan
Most recently featured in the October issue of Skirt magazine—they tried to get him to change into pants but he insisted on wearing his own clothes—

In late 2004, Thom started the Charlotte Chapter of Slow Food and still lightly holds the title of Leader.  You can find this community at www.SlowFoodCharlotte.org.

Thom works to promote the Slow Food mission of Good, Clean and Fair food. This phrase is about—local food systems, environmentally-benign and healthy practices, and the true appreciation for the enjoyment of eating and drinking and it’s traditions within family and community. Under Thom’s leadership, Slow Food Charlotte has grown from one dozen dues-paying members to over 250 current paid members and an online Charlotte Community of close to 800 supporters.

Thom works as a manufacturer, which has nothing to do with food.  Thom was once a commercial artist until he needed to earn a real living and from personal experience he can tell you that there are 100’s of dollars to be made in writing. Thom sports a uncommon tolerance for bombastic MC’s.

Slow Food Charlotte supports a number of initiatives around Charlotte, including being a co-sponsor of this event, the Community Garden Collaborative (which supports urban gardens around Charlotte), School Gardens programs, local support for mobilizing polical action around the Child Nutrition Act and the National School Lunch Programs, building community around our local food economy and preserving the pleasures of the table.

Ginnie Collins, MS RD LDN CCP
Ginnie Collins is a Registered Dietitian at Presbyterian Novant Heart and Wellness. Ginnie’s area of nutrition expertise is in cardiovascular disease prevention. She helps people learn about and move towards a lifelong Mediterranean based eating style that is not only healthy, but most importantly, enjoyable. She has a Master of Science in Nutrition and an Associate degree in culinary arts from CPCC. She is also a Certified Culinary Professional (CCP) by the International Association of Culinary Professionals, and works with adults, adolescents and children. Ginnie is very active on the board of the Charlotte Dietetic Association and served as President 2006-2007. Ginnie is also a member of Slowfood Charlotte since 2007.

Aaron Newton
Aaron Newton is the coauthor of “A Nation of Farmers”, currently available from New Society Publishers. He is a land planner and a participating farmer at the Elma C. Lomax Incubator Farm in Concord, North Carolina.  He helps operate Cold Water Creek Farms, a Community Supported Agriculture program (CSA) serving forty families locally. Aaron is the co-founder of Groovy Green and Hen and Harvest, two online journals discussing issues related to food, energy and the environment.  He rides a bike and helps his wife raise two daughters.

Don Boekelheide
Don Boekelheide directs the Community Gardening Program at Charlotte's Urban Ministry Center. He edited "25 Years Of Community Gardening", the 25th Anniversary Issue of the American Community Gardening Association's magazine (ACGA, 2005), 'Cultivating Common Ground', a collection of gardener profiles from Charlotte Green's Wilmore Community Garden (Main Street Rag, 2002), and is currently the Southeast correspondent and variety tester for Rodale's Organic Gardening Magazine and website. He served as a Peace Corps agriculture volunteer in Togo, West Africa, and earned his MS in Agriculture from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. He teaches food gardening and composting classes for CPCC and Mecklenburg County, with a hands on approach utilizing the community garden as an outdoor classroom. He is an active community gardener, with a plot at the Reedy Creek Park Community Garden in the University City.

Greg D. Pillar
Greg D. Pillar is an Assistant Professor of Environmental Science and Chemistry at Queens University of Charlotte. He teaches and conducts research in the areas of environmental chemistry, soil and water quality, sustainable agriculture and urban ecology. Dr. Pillar has taught in the Honors Program, led study tours to Italy as part of the John Belk International Program and offers a course on domestic and global issues in food and agriculture as part of the interdisciplinary Core Program at Queens.

In addition to his academic responsibilities, Dr. Pillar is an advocate for sustainable farming and has frequently been invited to speak on domestic and global issues in agriculture including an appearance on WFAE’s Charlotte Talks with Mike Collins. He is currently advising a group of concerned citizens and representatives from various private and governmental agencies who are working together to establish a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Food Policy Council.  

Dr. Pillar received a BS in Environmental Science (Soils and Hydrology) from the University of Minnesota, Twin-Cities, Minnesota in 1999; an MS in Agronomy (Soil Science) from Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas in 2002; and a PhD in Agronomy (Environmental Chemistry) from the University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia in 2006.