Presenters
Professor Emeritus John Elder
John Elder, a professor at Middlebury from 1973 to 2010, is a renowned scholar of American nature writing and pastoral literature, contemporary poetry, and environmental studies. Elder’s most recent books reflect both memoir as well the natural history of Vermont and include titles such as Reading the Mountains of Home, The Frog Run, and Pilgrimage to Vallombrosa.
Elder’s voice is particularly relevant to the FoodWorks interns as he has been a leader in experimental learning exploring space, place, and the human relationship to the natural environment, as well as being a proponent of exploring agriculture in the liberal arts curriculum. A recent course instructed by Elder titled “Fast Food/Slow Food” considered writing and films about food, exploring the rise of industrial food and fast-food franchises as well as the local food movement and the international Slow Food network.
A former student writes of the beloved professor:
“Perhaps the greatest lesson Elder has taught me is that the truest forms of wisdom, the kind of wisdom that radiates from him, is wisdom that asks questions, and challenges us to see further, beyond ourselves… John has taught us that the best classroom discussions are the ones where nobody has the answers, and instead, students and professors alike are inspired to build off each other’s ideas in an effort to see deeper into the questions of our hearts, minds and souls.”
For more information, check out a profile of Elder by the Seven Days, as well as his 2010 Margolin Environmental Affairs Lecture at Middlebury College.
Wendell Berry
Wendell Berry is a conservationist, farmer, essayist, novelist, professor of English, and poet. He was born August 5, 1934 in Henry Country, Kentucky where he now lives on a farm. The New York Times has called Berry the “prophet of rural America.” Wendell Berry is the author of more than 30 books of essays, poetry and novels. He has worked a farm in Henry County, Kentucky since 1965. He is a former professor of English at the University of Kentucky and a past fellow of both the Guggenheim Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation. He has received numerous awards for his work, including an award from the National Institute and Academy of Arts and letters in 1971, and most recently, the T. S. Eliot Award.
Claude Stephens
Brian Barnes
David Wicks (from his blog)
Ivor Chodkowski
Ivor Chodkowski is one of the most respected frontrunners of the local food movement, beginning 17 years ago with his first tenant operation. An urban farm practicing Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), Field Day Family Farm produces vegetables, hogs, chickens, and sometimes turkeys on 8 acres of land, has a CSA of 65 families, does farmers markets, and regularly employs more than half a dozen people on the farm.ation, Field Day Family Farm, Over the years, his
efforts have spread to creating in educational havens, a local food distribution company, a restaurant, and advocating for community change.
John-Mark Hack (Marksbury Farm website)
John-Mark Hack, a Woodford County resident, has worked in Kentucky agriculture for over 20 years, and established the Governor’s Office of Agricultural Policy in 1998 during the administration of Governor Paul Patton. He also served as the first President of the Kentucky Tobacco Settlement Trust Corporation and the first CEO of the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund.
Karyn Moskowitz (New Roots website)
Karyn’s passion for food justice led her to found New Roots, as well as introducing the Fresh Stop model to Louisville. She is committed to working with farmers, community organizing and facilitating leadership development with other food justice leaders in Louisville neighborhoods with limited access to food, and getting people, especially children, to eat fresh food. She also works in the areas of public interest and environmental law for citizens’ groups nationally. She is the proud mother of middle schooler Cicada Hoyt, who eats all her vegetables. Karyn, herself, particularly loves Kentucky-grown spinach. She has an MBA in Environmental Management.
Valerie Magnuson
Valerie Magnuson was born in Louisville and there she has remained for the majority of her life. She hopes that by deepening her connection to the urban environment where she was raised she can begin to understand the ecology of the city and help our communities adapt to a changing climate. She studies urban sustainability and social change at UofL and currently serves as the Executive Director of Louisville Grows, a local non-profit committed to building community through urban agriculture and sustainable solutions.
