Making Connections

Much of what the Emporia Area Local Foods Network seeks to accomplish involves the concept of "making connections." Much of what has been lost in an industrial food system is the "connection" between consumers and producer as to the way their foods are raised. EALFN wants to become a source that provides the communications, contacts, and educational opportunities essential to the consumer to make connection with local foods. Connections come at several levels:

1) Education - Educating the consumer about the health and economic benefits of buying and consuming locally grown, wholesomely raised natural foods, while providing training opportunities to growers on the "how-to's" of quality food production.

2) Consumer-Producer Contacts - Bringing together producers and consumers to exchange ideas about marketing local foods into the community, providing venues where those food transactions can take place, and promoting more food production to be direct marketed in the area.

3) Communications Through the use of this forum and other mediums, EALFN desires to provide resources, information links, spokespersons, seminars, and other training opportunities to move through the learning curve in the production and marketing of local foods into the region.