Local Food Premiere: "Eating In Place"

Can we eat our way to a healthier economy? That’s the question asked by Eating in Place, an hour-long documentary produced by the Grand Rapids Area Council for the Humanities (GRACH) and Calvin College.  Eating in Place premieres at 7 pm, Friday, April 23rd at Calvin College’s Prince Conference Center. The hour-long documentary will be followed by an opportunity for the audience to discuss the issues and ideas presented with local and regional experts.

Over the last decade and half, interest in eating locally has taken root and grown into a movement in West Michigan. Scores of organizations and hundreds of individuals are working to change the way you shop and eat. Who is involved and what are their reasons? Could a new emphasis on local food systems help revive the Michigan economy?

Agriculture is left standing alone as the brightest spot in the Michigan economy by the downturn in the automobile industry. Experts interviewed in the film say that with the huge diversity of agricultural products grown and made here, Michigan eaters barely need to leave their own backyards to find a healthy, varied diet. And beyond that, they say that making sure more of your grocery dollars are spent on Michigan products will mean more Michigan jobs.

GRACH Executive Director Nurya Love Parish says it’s a good time to take a closer look at how and why you make your food choices. “The humanities enable us to reflect on our past and envision our future. Hopefully this film will enable us to tell a better story about ourselves and our community,” says Parish, who is also the executive producer. “We hope it will also inspire informed dialogue about public policy.”

The film itself is a local product, written and produced entirely in the Grand Rapids area, and presents the stories of farmers, entrepreneurs, planners and activists within a framework of discussion by experts from Calvin College and Grand Valley State University. Recorded in HD, Eating In Place is also a celebration of the beauty and diversity of local agricultural enterprises Eating in Place is made possible in part by a grant from the Michigan Humanities Council, an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

The film will premiere at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 23 at Calvin College's Prince ConferenceCenter. Discussion following the premiere with local and regional experts. Mike Hamm, Chair of the C.S. Mott Group for Sustainable Agriculture, will be with us from MSU. Seating is open to the general public; reserve a seat by emailing [email protected] with your name and number of seats requested. $5 suggested donation per person. Call 774-1776 or email [email protected] for more information. Following the premiere, the documentary will air Saturday, April 24 at 4 p.m. on WGVU.

Eating in Place http://www.eatinginplace.net

Grand Rapids Area Council for the Humanities www.grhumanities.org

Calvin College www.calvin.edu

Michigan Humanities Council www.michiganhumanities.org