People On The Move: Becca Fong with Seattle Parks and Recreation

April 2nd, 2010 by Ashley DeForest

People On The Move: Becca Fong with Seattle Parks and Recreation

Who are the people behind the urban farming projects cropping up all over the Puget Sound Region? What inspires them? What foods nurture them?

Urban Farm Hub has launched a weekly spotlight series to celebrate the amazing people who spend their days creating a healthier, more sustainable local food system. This week we’d like to celebrate the inspiring work of Becca Fong.

Becca is a plant nerd. Her love of plants and the natural world are the main motivations for her work as an Environmental Stewardship Coordinator for Seattle Parks and Recreation, where she works to connect folks to the world around them. She’s working on bringing edible food gardens to Parks Programs as a way to help people get more connected to the environment.

What inspired you to get involved in the local food movement?

I’ve always loved to eat! When I was young my mother told me that since I liked to eat, I’d better learn how to cook. Through cooking (and eating) I became more connected to what I eat, how I eat and why I eat what I do.

With the rapid pace of life, there are less opportunities to make those connections. I feel that food is one way that every individual is connected to the natural world in a tangible and personal way. Helping people recognize, understand and feel that connection and its’ importance is critical during this time of global climate change.

If you could change only one thing about our local food system, what would it be?

That everyone would have the opportunity to experience each aspect of our local food system on a personal level.

What do you think about the adage “It’s not the food we eat; it’s our eating habits”?

There is a lot of truth in this statement. I think that all foods are fine in moderation. Our current eating habits are really dysfunctional. The way that we eat has contributed to the heavily processed, super convenient foods that make up a large portion of our available food supply.

I think we have developed an unhealthy way of looking at food. Food used to mean Meals. A meal was an event, an activity that involved cooking, socializing and eating. With time at a premium, meals are becoming a rarity. Food and eating has become another item to check off of our to-do lists. We eat in our cars, at our desks, whenever there is a time when we aren’t doing another activity that requires both of our hands.

Speaking of eating habits, what’s your vision of the perfect meal?

The perfect meal would have a wide variety of foods, that were made with care and enjoyed in good company.

If you were a goat, what would you say?

“Are you going to eat that?”

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