Saturday Morning Activation: Food, Glorious Food 🍕

Working Food Systems That Regenerate the Earth & Communities

Food is more than nourishment—it is joy. It is connection. It is a love letter from the Earth herself.

And for me? That love letter is often written in the form of pizza.

Anyone who knows me knows about my love affair with pizza. 🍕 It’s not just food—it’s a story, a memory, a piece of my soul. Here’s a photo of me at age 30 that I found in an old album made for my bridal shower by a dear friend years ago, walking down a street in Brooklyn with my beloved pizza.

✨ Once, I dreamed of traveling the world, tasting every type of pizza I could find, and writing a coffee table book—“Pizzas of the World.” Each page would be a journey, a cultural experience woven together by the most universal, beloved food.

Being half Italian, I have very high standards. And I come by them honestly.

My family in Calabria grew much of their own food. My father was raised on a subsistence farm, where every meal came from the land itself. The vegetables for the sauce, the flour for the dough—everything was a direct gift from the Earth.

His paintings reflect this deep connection, his poetry speaks of it. The land, the soil, the food—it was everything.

But today, food is also systems.
💡 How we grow it. Who has access to it. Whether it heals or harms.

We live in a time where food is abundant for some and scarce for others.
Where farms are replaced with factories.
Where soil is treated as a resource to extract from, instead of a living system to nourish.

But solutions already exist. We are not starting from scratch.

💡 Working Food Systems That Regenerate the Earth & Communities

In Boulder, several local initiatives exemplify regenerative agriculture and sustainable food systems:

• Yellow Barn Farm: Established in 1865, this historic farm has been revitalized to focus on low-scale, high-quality food production, community-supported agriculture, and sustainability education. They emphasize soil regeneration, water retention, and organic gardening practices.

  yellowbarn.farm

• Growing Gardens: For over 25 years, Growing Gardens has empowered Boulder County residents by reconnecting them with local food systems. Their programs offer gardening, cooking, and nutrition education, fostering sustainable urban agriculture and providing fresh produce to the community.

  growinggardens.org

• Boulder County Farmers Markets' Food Access Programs: These programs support local food access and nutrition by connecting fresh, local produce to childcare centers, preschools, and families in need. Initiatives like the Farm to Early Care and Education program ensure that even the youngest community members experience seasonal, nutritious foods.

  bcfm.org

These examples demonstrate that building regenerative food systems is both achievable and already underway in our community.

These are just a few examples—but what if these models were the norm, not the exception?

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🌱 Today’s Activation:

✔ Honor the joy of eating. Let yourself savor a meal today with full presence.
✔ Reflect on the food systems that sustain you. Where does your food come from?
✔ Tune into the Earth. How is she speaking to you through what you eat?

💡 How can we build food systems that nourish everyone—not just in survival, but in joy?

📩 Read today’s activation & share your favorite food!