Sarah Newman is a locavore and vegeterian. She works as a researcher and blogger at Participant Media, which is releasing the documentary and companion book Food, Inc. in Spring 2009. She’s also a panelist at Hazon’s Food Conference this year, taking part in “Will Blog for Food” on Sunday. She’ll be blogging from the conference all weekend at Takepart.com, and we’ll be cross-posting her articles here on JCarrot.

I’m completely immersed in the food world now and I’ve only been at the Hazon conference for four fantastic hours. As I mentioned in a previous post, Hazon (aka vision in Hebrew) is leading efforts in the Jewish community to develop sustainable food systems. The contrast between my drive here through the non-union unsustainable industrial farms and CAFOs of California’s Central Valley and being at Hazon where every attempt is made to be organic and sustainable is striking.

However, if you’re reading this blog, you might ask, what can I do in my life? Are these just a bunch of elitist hippie Jews who have the privilege of spending a vacation immersed in a beautiful setting while eating locally grown foods and discussing how to eat and live as sustainably as possible? Well, I am actually sitting by a fire in a comfy chair wearing my clogs, wrapped in my Nepalese scarf and with my Marmot rain jacket draped over my shoulders.

And, if this is just a bunch of Jews, (we are only 1.2% of the total US population) how is this somewhat insular movement going to engage at the national level?

Ok, so perhaps I’m fitting the stereotype of Hazon attendees, But, I just met Mark from Elkins Park, Pennsylvania. A normal, non-clog wearing guy who is building an interfaith sustainable food movement in his suburb. Mark started a Tuv Ha’Aretz at his synagogue, Hazon’s own Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. A CSA is a program that allows you to support a local farmer who delivers a weekly box of produce to you.

Mark’s small synagogue of 200 families branched out to include participants from outside who aren’t Jewish. They now have about 40 families participating. These families are all committed to supporting local farms and enjoying fresh local produce. And while this effort grew out of Mark’s synagogue, the beauty of the program was attractive to many people of diverse backgrounds, all of whom have joined together in their commitment for a sustainable future for all.