Hi Everyone,

Now that the Long Island Food Conference is behind us, I can sit back and reflect on what a great day it was, and look for ways to keep the momentum and collaboration going with the newly formed Long Island Food Coalition. The purpose of the Conference, and the purpose of the LI Food Coalition is to strengthen our connections to our local food system, and to create a sense of community amongst the people who care about? sustainability, from the most personal level to the greater global perspective. This means our local farmers who grow it, to the markets that sell it, to the health care professionals that recognize the connection between food and well being, to the activists and lobbyists, to the divestors from fossil fuel, and the investors in socially responsible markets, to the beekeepers, and the local fisherman, to our educators and teachers, to our restaurateurs sourcing local, sustainably raised products, to our children and to those responsible for putting dinner on the table, and to all of us who care about the future of our planet. The Long Island Food Coalition is here to act as an umbrella organization, where we can all share our knowledge, our passions, and our events with one another, and build a stronger coalition of people and organizations working together to make our world a better and safer place to live, work, play, and dine around a convivial table. One of our partnering organizations is the LI Community Agriculture Network, and they are offering 4 Free Vegetable Gardening Workshops coming up this Spring in local libraries. Go to my event page, to find out more information about the locations and times.

This week, my guest on the Progressive Radio Network is Lauren Groveman, a fellow chef and culinary professional, with a deep commitment to promoting the nurturing, loving dimension of thoughtfully prepared and shared home cooked meals to help heal and restore even the most hectic household and/or fragmented family. Lauren is also an award winning author, television and radio host, recipe developer and teacher. She is the President and Founder of the not-for-profit company called Hands-On-Food, Inc., which teaches culinary arts and life skills, along with empowerment concepts, to high-risk individuals, including incarcerated female inmates on Rikers?? Island,?where she, through her company, built a teaching kitchen in the female high-school facility. She taught on Rikers Island for 11 years, before leaving there to create a culinary program in a Brooklyn facility, for female adolescents. Please join me on Thursday, in welcoming Lauren, and learning more about her cooking style and non-profit work.

Remember, my show is recorded live, every Thursday, from 10-11 am, EST.? To tune in, navigate to?PRN.fm?and click the ?Listen Live? button on the left. Also try downloading the?PRN mobile app, and take the station with you wherever you go! If you want to call in during the show with any questions for me or my guest, the call in number is 888-874-4888.

If you can?t tune in at that time, you can listen to the show in the?PRN archives,?or on my website, or through iTunes. You can also access the show by calling in to?The Progressive Radio Network?at 619-550-0869. Please ?like??iEat Green?s Facebook page?and feel free to?rate the show and leave comments on iTunes and on my website. Thank you all for your support.

With love and gratitude,

Bhavani