What is the Future of Local Food? Farm slideshow and panel

How will Santa Cruzans feed ourselves in 2020? Not as we do now, according to a growing number of food and energy experts behind the burgeoning "Eat Local" movement. Taking a close look at our local food supply and its future is the theme of a pair of upcoming events organized by the grassroots future visioning group Transition Santa Cruz (TSC). In an evening panel event and a follow-up community day of conversation and brainstorming, Santa Cruzans will have the opportunity both to hear perspectives from some of our local food mavens and to contribute their own ideas to the mix.

The Friday evening event will feature a local farm slide show by blogger and photographer Tana Butler (http://smallfarms.typepad.com/), along with a panel composed of Mark Lipson (Organic Farming Research Foundation), Ildi Carlisle-Cummins (Community Alliance with Family Farmers), and Deborah Yashar (Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association), with Michael Olson (Food Chain Radio) as MC.

The events are co-sponsored by the Ecological Farming Association, Ecology Action, and California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF), and Saturday's lunch by New Leaf Community Markets.