The Community Agriculture Network is a collaboration of growing spaces—community gardens, church plots, urban farms, and orchards—each managed by trusted leaders in their respective communities. These sites are independently managed but supported by TNFP through shared tools, technical assistance, access to seed and compost, and a network of volunteers and educators.
Cornbread (serves 50)
- 6 cups cornmeal
- 12 eggs
- 3 cups canola oil
- 3 large cans of creamed corn
- 1 cup sour cream
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly beat eggs and combine with all ingredients (do not over mix). Spray 1 ½ serving containers with non-stick spray. Bake for approximately 20-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.
Do you know how many mosquitoes a single bat can eat in an hour? Neither did we when our summer interns decided to build bat houses for our Wedgewood Urban Gardens for their independent summer project. Recent USN graduates, Jack Spiva and Miro Hurdle, along with help from their good friend Joey Simon, spent hours researching, planning and constructing these two multi-chamber bat houses.
Why bats? According to Bat Conservation International:
"Bats are essential for maintaining healthy ecosystems. Most bats eat huge amounts of insects, including farm pests and many of the nasty bugs that harass outdoor gatherings. They are vital pollinators and seed-dispersers for countless plants. And homes are often in short supply for bats. Their populations are declining around the world, often because of disappearing habitat."
Here in Tennessee, we are also worried about the spread of white nose syndrome. Again according to BCI, "White-nose Syndrome has devastated bat populations across the eastern United States during the past five years, causing “the most precipitous wildlife decline in the past century in North America,” according to biologists." We hope that in providing healthy summer habitat for these friendly neighbors, we will help strengthen their populations as they fight this devastating disease. Check out the photos below for pictures of the final build and installation of our new bat houses. We eagerly await our first night-time visitors. And thanks again to Jack, Miro and Joey for making it happen!
And, the answer to our question? One bat can eat over 1000 mosquito-sized insects in one hour!
We think it is very important for the members of our Board to spend some time volunteering with The Nashville Food Project so we stay in touch with the day-to-day work of the organization. A story from one of my recent truck runs stands out in my mind as an example of why I am a part of TNFP and reminds me what it means for us to share food with each other in community.
It was a picture perfect day as we drove the short distance to the Vine Hill community. Once there we were met by several smiling faces awaiting our arrival. People are always glad to see you if you come bearing food! We set up the table at the back of the truck, spread a tablecloth across it, and gave away delicious and nutritious meals. Everyone was in high spirits because the weather was such a gift after a spell of some cold and rainy spring days. That day two of our volunteer cooks had prepared a tasty Mexican casserole with food we had gleaned from Chipotle, a beautiful and generous green salad with vegetables grown from our own gardens, and a very yummy cobbler with the first berries of the season.
We were about halfway through serving lunch when a car pulled up on the street near us. A woman got out of her car and approached me. I thought maybe she wanted a meal. Instead, she pressed some money into my hand and quickly said, “I’m glad for what you do and I want to be a part of it.” I glanced at the ten dollar bill she had given me and jammed it in my pocket. I thanked her warmly and smiled and waved at her as she drove away.
We had finished serving and were packing up when I remembered it. I said to my friends, “Did you see that lady in the white car? She gave us ten bucks!” As I fished the bills from my pocket I realized it was not a ten dollar bill, but two one hundred dollar bills. She had seen us serving and stopped and gave us a $200 donation.
I wish I had her name. I wish I could write her a thank you note, and maybe invite her to join us on a truck run sometime. But this is how it goes with The Nashville Food Project. The efforts of so many people go into getting those good meals onto the streets. The farmer who grew the lettuce and vegetables for the salad, the staff member who cultivated a relationship with Chipotle so that we might give away their extra food, the young people who picked the berries and the intern who made the cobbler. The person who made sure there was gas in the truck and the anonymous donor who gave us an extra freezer so we could use berries long after they were freshly picked. The cooks who give up their Fridays to cook for a crowd, and frugal Anne, our Meals Coordinator, who can stretch a dollar so that the food we served that day cost only 30 cents a meal.
All of these efforts and more keep our place humming with contagious excitement. We’re harvesting fresh food–the fruits of this good earth–and we’re giving it away to people who seldom get a delicious and home-cooked meal. We’re feeding bodies and spirits. We all give, and we all receive. Our place always smells fantastic because our little kitchen is in the middle of everything. And it’s not just the smell of lunch in the oven. It’s the sweet sweet fragrance of hospitality shared and love given back and forth across the table.
Rev. Viki Matson
Serves 24
Preheat oven to 350. Mix flour, oatmeal, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add brown sugar and mix again. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, stir until fully mixed. Mix in chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout dough. Drop onto a well-greased cookie sheet and spread into a well-greased aluminum pan. (If making cookies, flatten slightly because they don't spread much). Bake for about 30minutes. Adjust time depending on if you want a chewy or crunchy texture. (Bake for 16 minutes if making cookies.) Let cool, then cut into individual bars. (Transfer cookies using spatula)
Optional: These can be customized by adding nuts, dried fruits, or different types of chocolate.
