T ! A S E T A S! E T A S! E T ! A S E T A S! E T A S! E
Y U S C A E R S Y S U C A R E S Y S U C A E R S Y U S C A E R S Y S U C A E R S Y S U C A R
why a foodcenter?
access.identity.education.advocacy
Late one night in the heart of Syracuse.. A group of concerned stakeholders and food enthusiasts gathered to discuss the looming crisis...
We need to find some way to provide local food to all, regardless of their situation (Access) We need to protect our resources and rethink our public systems. We need to be able to provide fail-safe food in case emergency hits. (Advocacy)
Ladies, Gentlemen. We are on the verge of a food crisis. There is an increasing demand for food--fresh food, and a decrease in arability. Hunger is at an all time high. The current economy and climate concerns only add to the crisis.
We need to reconnect with students, producers, consumers. We need people to begin to understand the food system in order to improve this situation (Education)
We need space. We need a face. We need a place where food systems and human cycles can interact. (Identity)
why a foodcenter?
access.identity.education.advocacy
That's not to say we haven't make moves in the right direction...
Local farmers have begun to develop methods to get their food farther, from online systems to participating in various farmers markets across the region.
Such as in the regional market--where small sized and local farmers and producers are able to sell fresh produce and products to locals, students, and commuters from all over. Additionally, Community Gardens have been popping up over syracuse on unused plots of land thanks to the initiatives of Syracuse Grows.
And for those who don't have gardens or the market, Soup kitchens and centers such as the Samaritan Center, reach out in to the cities and provide meals to children, families, and the hungry. But it’s not enough!
why a foodcenter? We need to address the issue of food more directly, aggressively!
access.identity.education.advocacy we need to provide ACCESS-for students, for those without access to public transportation. We need to somehow rectify people shopping at convenience centers and corner stores for their food!
We need an IDENTITY-a public place where we can coordinate local and regional food! A place for people to come and learn about the operations and processes of food.
And speaking of learning - we need to EDUCATE -With the increasing global demand for food, we can no longer merely supply our food from outside sources. We must teach people how to cook, how to provide for themselves and utilize the food system to eat locally, healthy, and sustainably.
And most importantly, we need ADVOCACY-we policy, we need increased collaboration between all--from consumers to producers to the lawmakers, and we need a space for this to happen.
We need a FOOD CENTER!
a day in the life of....
a food policy council member
So this month is the Farmers Group...next month with Syracuse Grows... Members of the Food Policy Council meet at the Food Center to organize and collaborate on food-related topics....
Enjoying the runoff garden, cooling pool, and raised beds as they enter the Center.
The council’s office and meeting space is also part of the educational expirience at the center, and visitors are encouraged to sit in on meetings and debates - because everyone has a stake in the food system.
a day in the life of....
Approaching the Food Center on Carbon Street....
Checking out gardeners working on and teaching from raised beds
Splash in the cooling pool...
Sampling the various olfactory sensations at each hood ...
a bike-riding visitor
Bike riders can park their cycles at near the street, and walk around the foodcenter area.
Move by seating and relaxing outdoor spaces...
And smell the food cooking below in the teaching kitchens - walking right up to various vent hoods.
And take a look at what’s cooking below... and then venturing below to taste some samples, or simply enjoying the gardens and outdoor space.
a day in the life of....
a grain storage operator
Grain is delivered from nearby farms - a broad variety including wheat, quinoa, bulgur, barley, and rye.
And is packed into moisture - controlled individual modules for easy storage, movement, and distribution in the case of a food crisis.
Whew...Moving a bounty of grain around is a never-ending job...
Glimpses of the crop catalog and gardens are visible through the windows in the heavily insulated walls which contain the grain storage.
food strategies...
urban interventions Convenience Store Food modules are loaded onto the regional market trucks...
So how can food issues be addressed at a larger scale? Could food be re-embbedded across the entire city?
Or used as miniature markets throughout the city; providing daily access to food.
...And are delivered to convenience stores to augment the supply of fresh produce
Parking gardens could begin to store and slow storm water runoff - thereby reducing the impact of the city CSO system, and improving user experience of parking lots in general.
Solar a could be deployed above winter clouds, providing a more constant supply of electricity for the city.
a day in the life of...
The new FOODbus Route from downtown makes it easy to access the market.
a single mother and child
Let’s Get going....don’t want to miss the best vegetables!
Eww...Vegetables!
Hey... Look at the plants on the roof!
What are these? Heirloom Tomatoes The hydroponic Crop Catalog lines the corridor and displays locally - cultivatable food plants. Wow! that’s so much grain... Where do they grow it all? Can we Grow those at home ? Sure, in the spring ...
After walking through the Food Center, Mother and Child continue on to the regional market to get their weekly groceries.
food crisis!
grain storage deployment
The individual grain modules are loaded onto box trucks by forklifts, and sent throughout the area for distribution and consumption...
The palletized system maximizes packing speed and efficiency in the trucks, which do not have to be specialized for grain carrying.
The modules, with their integrated dispensers, could be dropped off at public institutions such as schools....
...Or placed in smaller trucks for rural deliveries...
Or in smaller portions from the Food Center Retail Store itself...
And the Raised beds could be used more intensively to provide some fresh produce for a smaller population.
While the Food Policy Council works to re-establish the food supply...