The Institute for Mindful Agriculture, a part of the Hawthorne Valley Association, and Long Table Harvest have partnered with the Berkshire-Taconic Community Foundation to offer a community-led organizing process to bridge and help heal the social, economic, and ecological divides of our county’s food eco-system.

This project hinges on one essential idea: conscious collaboration built on deep listening and growing trust.

Begun in July 2016, we are continuing the work on our project, “Healthy Food for All in Columbia County” using
basic IMA concepts and Presencing Institute social technologies. We now have a thriving group of members of the Hudson Community Core Group representing all demographics and ethnicities active in the city and have piloted a “Seafood Buying Club” at their request and with their active participation.

We are also working on a mobile market project with an anticipated launch date of early
summer 2018. It will bring fresh foods and staple groceries initially around Hudson and the
following year throughout Columbia County. We also pioneered the Columbia County Food
Association and will be tasking it with researching the concept of an active food hub located in
Hudson.