Here's what you can learn at Pueblo Food Project's two-day food summit

The third Sun Soil Water Ag Summit from Pueblo Food Project is less than a week away and organizers are hopeful attendees soak up information about agriculture, food systems and peoples' daily interactions with those systems.

“(The summit) gives people a chance to understand that no matter who they are or what they do, the food system touches every aspect of every person’s life, whether you’re gardening for the first time or using a grocery store,” said Megan Moore, program manager for Pueblo Food Project. “The food system we have here locally and the systems nationwide and worldwide affect Pueblo.”

Here’s what attendees can expect to learn and experience over the two-day summit, which will be held at Pueblo Community College and begins March 17:

Topics that organizers want to tackle at the summit

The summit derives its name based on how each word — sun, soil and water — shares a connection with food and food systems. Each are different components that simultaneously play a role in how food grows.

Moore and Serena Sakkal, also a program manager for Pueblo Food Project, along with at least one keynote speaker plan to cover how several separate topics, such as agriculture and foraging, play a role in those food systems.

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“A strong food system is very much at the root of individual and community empowerment,” Sakkal said. “(That can tie to) having a better grasp of what is growing around you, in the farms in our county or understanding how to forage.”

According to the summit’s Saturday agenda, a panel that morning will center its discussion on water in southern Colorado, which is all the more prevalent with some of Pueblo County still under “extreme” drought conditions, according to the U.S. drought monitor. The Arkansas River basin’s snowpack levels have also lagged compared to other river basins across the state, most notably those west of the Continental Divide.

“Our water needs and access is beginning to change and it’s a really important conversation to have,” Moore said. “It doesn’t mean that anything dire is going to happen anytime soon, but it means we have to start taking note and action of how we live our lives and use water.”

Barriers to food access will also be discussed on Saturday, as will home composting, a technique that helps reduce waste by recycling food scraps.

A discussion on food sovereignty, which Sakkal called an “empowering tool,” is also on tap as part of Saturday’s conference.

“As our consistent supply of food becomes a little bit less uncertain, having these skills is really empowering and I think it’s so important to share that knowledge with people right now,” Sakkal said.

What organizers hope attendees take away from the two-day event

Moore said attendees, both new and with experience in gardening and other food-related topics and issues, can expect to “take something home with them” following the conclusion of the summit. That could include a better understanding of soil and how to best use it to grow food or supply chain issues, she said.

Sakkal said she believes people who attend the summit will obtain skills and knowledge that they can apply in their own gardening or food-related endeavors.

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“There’s nothing more empowering than being able to grow your own food,” Moore said. “When you’re able to provide for yourself versus having to rely on an outside source, your perspective changes.

“We had a collective experience in America (in 2020) and throughout the world on (food) shortages and what that means for us, and it’s empowering for us to learn about our food system because we have family farms not even 10 minutes from the city’s center. We have incredible local food that’s focused on tradition. That’s what’s crazy and so good about food systems — every single person and piece of it matters.”

Other activities to be aware of

As part of the March 17 festivities, a handful of awards, including Farmer of the Year, will be handed out to people and organizations who helped make an impact on Pueblo’s food system. There will also be a pitch competition for food and agricultural-related businesses on Friday.

People who are at Saturday’s conference can also visit the Maker’s Market and Idea Fair where they can “explore ideas, try products and support local food businesses,” according to Pueblo Food Project.

SoulSmile Health and Wellness is catering the summit.

The cost to attend the summit is $10. For more information, or to register, visit pueblofoodproject.org/sunsoilwaterag.

Chieftain reporter Josue Perez can be reached at JHPerez@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @josuepwrites.

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Pueblo Food Project to host two-day food summit