The Honorable Harvest Lecture Series

In her book "Braiding Sweetgrass," Kalamazoo Valley's Visiting Writers series author Robin Wall Kimmerer describes the Indigenous principles and practices of the Honorable Harvest, which asks us to give back in reciprocity for what we have been given. This lecture series explores ways we can come together to nurture and restore the Honorable Harvest in our communities and in our everyday lives.

All programming is FREE and takes place in Room 223 at the Marilyn J. Schlack Culinary and Allied Health Building, 418 E. Walnut St., in downtown Kalamazoo. Arrive as early as 5 p.m. to enjoy Taps on Tuesday, a happy hour-style event hosted by Kalamazoo Valley's culinary and brewing departments Sept. 17 - Dec. 10 from 5 - 7 p.m. Taps on Tuesday will not be held on Oct. 29.

CULTIVATING COMMUNITY RESILIENCY THROUGH NATURAL BUILDING, ORGANIC FARMING AND EDUCATION
TUESDAY, SEPT. 17 | 6:30 - 7:30 P.M.
About six years ago, Larissa Touloupas-Pekarovicova and Ondrej Pekarovic embarked on a journey to build an off- grid, straw-bale house with the help of their community. They will share how their solar-powered farm, Solfed, was created and how anyone can get involved in building a more resilient community.

ROOTED IN LOVE... FOR ROOTED LUV FARM
TUESDAY, SEPT. 24 | 6:30 - 7:30 P.M.
Owner and founder of Rooted Luv Farm, Chaz Rawls, will explain aspects of growing food that go beyond techniques for food production to include relationships with other living beings. Partnering with nature instead of extracting it, approaching the work in the garden as work on oneself, and learning the story of the plants and their connection to the people are some attitudes toward growing food that have been the foundation of Rooted Luv Farm.

SUBSISTENCE FARMING: A STORY FROM THE PAST WITH TEACHINGS FOR THE FUTURE
TUESDAY, OCT. 1 | 6:30 - 7:30 P.M.
Many Black farmers leveraged what could be grown and raised on their farms to meet immediate nutritional needs. Many found ways to cooperatively pool and exchange resources to improve their lives. In this snapshot of 1958- 1968, Ben Brown presents an overview of his experience, observations and perspectives about how subsistence farming could strengthen conservation and reweave an agrarian ethic that supports net productivity and minimizes consumerism imbalance and isolation.

BECOMING THE "FOURTH SISTER": A CONVERSATION WITH THE KALAMAZOO SEED COLLABORATIVE
TUESDAY, OCT. 8 | 6:30 - 7:30 P.M.
Join members of the Kalamazoo Seed Collaborative to draw inspiration from Kimmerer's writing to discuss how seed stewardship can be a way of deepening our kinship with plants and with each other.

AERIAL PREDATORS AT RISK: MODERN AGRICULTURE'S IMPACT ON INSECTIVORES
TUESDAY, OCT. 15 | 6:30 - 7:30 P.M.
Populations of aerial insectivores - birds like tree swallows and barn swallows - are declining at an alarming rate. Aerial insectivores play a significant role in various ecosystems by controlling insect populations. This lecture examines the impact of modern agricultural practices on these declines.

MANOOMIN, THE FOOD THAT GROWS ON WATER
TUESDAY, OCT. 22 | 6:30 - 7:30 P.M.
Manoomin, the Anishinaabemowin word for wild rice, directly translates into "the good berry." An aquatic grass rich in protein, manoomin has been an important part of Anishinaabe life since its arrival to the Great Lakes from the East Coast. Join Roger LaBine, water resource technician from Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, and Cortney Collia, cultural teacher and educator, to learn about manoomin, its connection to the Anishinaabe people and restoration efforts in Michigan.

BUILDING FOOD SOVEREIGNTY: NEIGHBORHOOD SCALE, COMMUNITY IMPACT
TUESDAY, OCT. 29 | 6:30 - 7:30 P.M.
Devon Wilson is an urban farmer who believes in the power of sustainable agriculture to improve people's well-being and to create a better future for generations to come. As the founder and CEO of Sunlight Gardens, he leads the development and management of urban farming initiatives, focusing on creating equitable access to nutritious food options.

FEEDING OUR FUTURE: NOURISHING KIDS AND COMMUNITY WITH LOCALLY SOURCED FOOD
TUESDAY, NOV. 5 | 6:30 - 7:30 P.M.
The increasing number of kids who eat multiple meals a day at early childhood education centers and schools presents challenges and opportunities for food service providers who want to provide the best nutrition possible for the kids in their care. Join a conversation about the legislation and logistics that influence school meals.

FARM BILL 101
TUESDAY, NOV. 12 | 6:30 - 7:30 P.M.
This federal farm bill connects the food on our plates, the farmers and ranchers who produce that food and the natural resources - our soil, air and water - that make growing food possible. Alex Canepa, director of policy at Fair Food Network, will talk about the legislation that impacts humans and more-than-human relatives of this land.

WRITING WORKSHOP: WHAT IS YOUR LAND STORY?
TUESDAY, NOV 19 | 6:30 - 7:30 P.M.
What is your land story? Through a series of guided writing exercises, you will have the opportunity to explore, discover and reconnect to land and places that have significance for you.

Visiting Writers Series
Kalamazoo Valley's "About Writing" Visiting Writers series is coordinated by English instructor Julie Stotz-Ghosh, Ph.D., and offers students and community members the opportunity to talk with professional writers and listen to their work. The visits take place in the Student Commons Theater, Room 4240, at the Texas Township Campus. All events are free, open to the public and include a craft talk and a reading by the author.

Robin Wall Kimmerer - Botanist & Author
10 a.m. and 2:15 p.m. | FREE
Wednesday, Nov. 6

Hear from Robin Wall Kimmerer, author of "Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants." More details coming soon on how to register for the New York Times bestselling writer's two visits to Kalamazoo Valley Community College's Texas Township Campus.

Kimmerer's interests include not only restoration of ecological communities, but restoration of our relationships to land. She is the founder and director of the Center for Native Peoples and the Environment at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse, New York, where she is also a professor of environmental biology.

In 2022, Kimmerer was named a MacArthur Fellow for her contributions as a plant ecologist, educator and writer. Her third book, "The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World," will be released on Nov. 19.