‘Food forests’ topic of Saturday talk

GREENFIELD — Racial Justice Rising is inviting the public to a free virtual program Saturday afternoon on food forests, an approach to gardening that attempts to mimic real forests while producing a diverse array of organic food.

“We need to take advantage of our empty spaces, and we especially need to feed urban dwellers fresh food,” explained Sherrill Hogen, a member of Racial Justice Rising. She added that not everywhere in the state, or even Western Massachusetts, has as easy access to fresh food as Franklin County residents might.

The program, which will include a presentation by Adam Matlock and Eliza Caldwell, both of Hampden, Conn., followed by a question and answer session, will begin at 1:30 p.m. Interested participants are asked to email programs@racialjusticerising.org for a link to the videoconference.

According to a press release from Racial Justice Rising, food forests represent a multi-year approach to gardening using fruit trees, perennial plants and shrubs. With careful observation of a space, and planning that accounts for the needs of insects, pollinators, birds and humans, a food forest approach can transform a static garden into a flourishing ecosystem.

Matlock and Caldwell will talk about an ongoing effort to use food forest techniques in Hampden, particularly as a way of mitigating food deserts in predominantly Black and Latino communities. They will also explain these “forests” as a model for future resilience against the increasing effects of climate change.

Hogen said when she first heard of Matlock and Caldwell’s efforts to bring food forests to their hometown, she was excited to learn more.

“In Franklin County, we’re probably more connected to the land than most places are … because of all of our farmers,” she said. “We are largely a rural county, but we all need to be paying attention to the best use of our land. … We’re not living in an island isolated from everybody else. We have to work together on that.”

Thanks to financial support from various local cultural councils, the event is free, but donations are welcome at racialjusticerising.org.

Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-930-4429. Twitter: @MaryEByrne