Clinton News Record, 2014-07-02, Page 5Wednesday, July 2, 2014 • News Record 5
Large crowd gathers at local food -related
networking event held in Clinton
Tara Ostner
The Clinton News Record
Local food was at the top
of people's minds on
Wednesday night at a net-
working event planned by
the Huron Food Action Net-
work (HFAN).
The Huron Food Action
Network is a volunteer
based organization inter-
ested in all things food -
related in Huron County. As
Tanis VanderMolen, a mem-
ber of the HFAN, says, the
network is "a coalition of
local farmers, restaurant
owners, processors,
consumers, municipal and
health representatives and
basically anyone who is
interested or involved in
food." The network began
about a year and a half ago
and VanderMolen explains
that, so far, it has basically
been a "grassroots" organi-
zation. "We let the groups of
people at our meetings
shape the direction of where
we're going. Everyone deals
with food everyday so every-
one has a voice when it
comes to food," says
VanderMolen.
The HFAN also consists of
various working groups
which are groups of people
who focus on discussing
and researching one food -
related topic in particular,
such as, food education,
food policy and community
gardens. The working
groups are open to anyone
and people who have their
own local food -related
ideas are encouraged to
contact the HFAN and form
their own working group. As
VanderMolen describes,
rather than sitting in a
meeting, by participating in
these special working
groups, people can
"proactively" address their
areas of interest. As long as
people share an interest in
the overall mission of HFAN
which, as VanderMolen
says, is to "cultivate a sus-
tainable local food system
to nourish all people of
Huron County and beyond,"
people should find the
working groups and objec-
tives of the network
valuable.
The networking event,
which was held at the Cen-
tral Huron Community
Complex in Clinton, was a
free event and everyone was
welcome. Guest speakers
included Firmly Rooted
Farm from just outside of
Clinton, Everspring Farms
from Seaforth, Ret Cat Bak-
ery from Goderich and
Coastal Coffee Company
from Grand Bend. Mathew
McIntyre, the chef at Truly
Local, was also at the event
providing samples of local
foods which included lamb
kebobs with wine soaked
goat cheese tzatziki, salad
cups with herb and shallot
vinaigrette and strawberry
and rhubarb tarts.
Many interesting and
innovative ideas about food
in Huron County were dis-
cussed and at the end of the
evening was an open mic
session where individuals
were able to share personal
food -related stories. Around
90 people attended the
event, a number that organ-
izers were very happy with,
and the network hopes to
replicate the event again
this Fall. According to Van-
derMolen, in the food
industry, "there is no short-
age of things for people to
learn about."
A website for the network
is currently in the works
and, in the meantime, peo-
ple are asked to contact the
HFAN via Twitter.
Local food was the topic of conversation at the HFAN networking event
Tara Ostner
HFAN members, Tanis VanderMolen, Arthur Churchyard and Marla Spaleta expressing enthusiasm over the turnout at the networking event Wednesday evening.