Slow FoodHunter Valley
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Who we are

Good, clean and fair food for all.

Slow Food is an international movement with communities (groups) in over 160 countries across the world. Each community does what it can in its local area to support and promote the ethos of “good, clean and fair food for all”. We do this through advocacy, education and the promotion of biodiversity.

With around 65 paid members and 600 friends, our local Slow Food Hunter Valley initiatives are well supported and our regular events and social gatherings are well attended. We welcome you to join us with your ideas and energy and become part of a friendly and dynamic group of people.

Advocacy

Here in the Hunter Valley we advocate for local, small-scale growers and producers. We do this through initiatives such as our Earth Market in Maitland (an ethical produce market). We also promote farm gate sales through our Facebook, Instagram and email campaigns.

We use our network and contacts to connect and encourage the Community Gardens network in the Hunter Valley (see a list of Community Gardens).

In the recent past we have delivered fresh food boxes to our friends in the Upper Hunter over the drought and developed gardens in remote communities in the Northern Territory.

To undertake this work we raise funds through local festivals such as Taste, the Maitland Show and Tocal Field Days. We are also fortunate enough to have a number of ongoing sponsors and we apply for grants to complete larger projects. Our projects are also made possible through the work and commitment of our members, friends, volunteers, sponsors and donors.

Education

We provide education to our community via social media and workshops. We assist farmers with grants and working bees. We support our local producers by spreading the word on what is on offer in the Valley in sustainable and regenerative food practices – in line with our good, clean and fair food philosophy.

We tackle the issue of local food waste and food justice through projects such as our Community Kitchen. In partnership with Oz Harvest and a number of generous donors, we provide around 4,000 meals a year to those in our community who need a helping hand. We also organise donations of fresh vegetables to a number of small charities when there is excess.

Biodiversity

Slow Food Hunter Valley promotes biodiversity through initiatives such as:
Ark of Taste (an international initiative in which Slow Food Hunter Valley participates)
our Pumpkin World page (aimed at educating people on the enormous diversity of our food)
local native gardens and school gardens.

As part of this international work, Slow Food Hunter Valley works in partnership with the Maitland City Council to stock and maintain the Maitland Seed Library. We also work to locate, identify and cultivate species of plants and animals that are part of our local sense of place. Where we identify any species of plant or animal that is in danger of being lost, we also list it the international Ark of Taste project.