Keeping Food Home Grown
Evelyn Eng-Nol, 17
Massachusetts
Have you ever thought about where your food comes from, or the lives of the people who grow it? What if you knew that some workers are exposed to dangerous pesticides every day, and that those pesticides are also on the food you eat? Evelyn Eng-Nol thinks about things like this every day. She's been working with The Food Project since 2005 to promote sustainable agriculture, and was one of only 8 teens to attend a Food and Society Conference in Michigan that was attended by over 500 people. Read on to find out more about Evelyn's passion for improving our food system, and find out how you can get involved!
Teen Voices: Can you tell us a little about The Food Project?
Evelyn Eng-Nol: The Food Project is a nonprofit organization that works to create social change, and also to change the teens that volunteer there. And this is all through promoting sustainable agriculture.
TV: What is sustainable agriculture?
Evelyn: Sustainable agriculture is basically growing food on a farm without using pesticides or chemicals, and it's grown locally. It doesn't travel far to the consumers, so that's sustainable.
TV: Why is sustainable agriculture important, as opposed to how other people grow things?
Evelyn: Well, when it's grown sustainably and our food goes to local farmers' markets, the money people pay at farmers' markets stays within that community. Say you buy an apple from New Zealand , then your money is going there and staying in the New Zealand community. Our produce also tastes a lot better because it doesn't take so much time to travel to the consumer. For example, an apple in New Zealand takes 9 months to come to Massachusetts. So basically, you're eating a 9-month-old apple instead of one that was picked yesterday.
TV: Can you tell me about what you do at The Food Project?
Evelyn: Well, I started in the summer of 2005 as a crew worker. We worked in the summer program on the farm for 8 weeks, from 9 a.m-4 p.m. From 9 a.m-noon we'd do farm labor, working on the land, weeding, harvesting, or peeling—just doing basic things. Then from noon-4 p.m. we'd have a workshop on social topics like breaking down stereotypes, or diversity workshops, or workshops about sustainable agriculture.
TV: How did you hear about The Food Project? What made you want to get involved?
Evelyn: Actually, I had no idea what it was about, and I wasn't really involved in the community, but I needed a job for the summer so a friend recommended it and I applied.
TV: What responsibilities do you have in your position?
Evelyn: Currently, I'm the assistant crew leader for the academic year program that we have called DIRT, which stands for Dynamic, Intelligent, Responsible Teenagers. What I do is basically lead teens who have graduated from the Summer Youth Program. I help with workshops like the ones we had in the summer, but they're at a higher level, with topics like public speaking, leadership or going more in-depth about stereotypes like sexism or racism.
TV: How has working with The Food Project affected other parts of your life?
Evelyn: Well, I think one of the simplest things is my public speaking skills. I was such a shy person before, and working at The Food Project continues to challenge me and help me prepare for the opportunities I have. But the biggest way it's affected my life would have to be that I'm much more aware of the food system now, and I'm really excited and passionate about improving it.
I just got back from a Food and Society Conference, and we had a whole gathering about food movements. Out of almost 500 people, there were only about 8 who were under the age of 18 and I was lucky enough to be one of them, representing the Food Project. I met a lot of people who were really making changes in the food system and in society. People are so disconnected from their food and they don't know that every choice they make has an impact, even just the food they choose to eat. There are so many big issues. For example, if it takes nine months for produce to travel around the world to Massachusetts, that's a major factor of global warming. And not only that, but the pesticides that are sprayed on the food, that's an issue for the workers, too. They don't have any protection from the pesticides, and they're underpaid, so their exposure to pesticides just adds to an already difficult life.
There's a really cool organization called CIW (Coalition of Immokalee Workers) They're currently trying to get McDonald's to change their policy, and before that, they were trying to get Taco Bell to change, to pay more for tomatoes, so that farmers' wages would be raised. Now, with all the work CIW did, Taco Bell pays one cent more per pound of tomatoes. That actually doubles the worker's salary, so it sounds like a really small thing, but it makes a world of difference.
And I've definitely thought a lot more about what I eat since becoming involved in The Food Project. I was so used to having food come from the supermarket and not directly from the land, and it tastes so much better when it's just grown from the land. And it's great because I get to harvest it and see the whole process from the beginning and then watching it grow. I'm able to have pride in what I eat instead of taking it for granted. I talk to my friends about the importance of sustainable agriculture, but sometimes it's hard to really understand unless you are surrounded by people who actively support it, like at The Food Project.
TV: We have a lot of readers, and some teen editors, from the Boston area. How can they get involved in The Food Project?
Evelyn: They hire teens from ages 14 to 17 during the summer from June to August. Unfortunately, the deadline for this summer has already passed, but they can apply for next summer.
TV: What about teens who don't live in the area? What can they do to help?
Evelyn: It depends on where they are from and if they have a farm in their community. The first step is really thinking of where your food comes from, and finding places to eat locally, or supporting local farms. Even just starting your own garden and becoming less dependent on big corporations is a great way to help.
TV: Are there any other community service projects you plan on joining in the future?
Evelyn: I'm not sure, but I pay attention to what is going on, and if I have the opportunity to do something that sounds interesting, I will definitely be open to it.
TV: Do you consider yourself an activist?
Evelyn: Actually, I'm questioning myself about that because I don't know. I think an activist is someone who makes changes or makes an effort to change the community for the better. But I don't think I've actually made a drastic change. I've changed the way I make my choices, and I really want to reach that point where I can be called an activist. But right now, I'm not sure if I'm activist, because I don't think I have done enough to say I am one.
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