Terra Madre delegate Chris Hergesheimer

Chris Hergesheimer is a committed food activist and researcher with a particular interest in bioregionalism, agro-food studies and environmental sociology. He holds a BA in Cultural Anthropology and a MA in Sociology from Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, Canada.

He currently participates in a number of collaborative research projects including studies of farmers markets and emerging local food systems in British Columbia. He also coordinates a number of grass-roots initiatives, including a multi-faceted “Grain Chain Project” based in Vancouver, and an emerging fruit tree gleaning project based near his home on the Sunshine Coast.

Chris is also the president of the One Straw Society, a farmers market manager as well as the owner-operator of his own small scale flour milling business, The Flour Peddler, which is dedicated to building and strengthening sustainable relationships between landscapes, farmers, millers, bakers and eaters.

Slow Food Vancouver: What do you hope to gain from attending this year’s Terra Madre meeting?

Chris: Attending Terra Madre for me is a wonderful opportunity to observe and experience the diversity of perspectives coming from small scale farmers, teachers, activists and food citizens with regards to the re-structuring of both global and local food systems.
I hope to position myself within this larger dialogue, both as a contributor and a learner. Knowledge sharing and mutual support and encouragement can happen both at the local level (in small localized groups committed to food sovereignty) as well as at the global level; acting as an experiential expression of unity and solidarity; there is so much excitement and energy in a group of world citizens meeting in one place to make space for such an important dialogue. My primary desire to be a part of this.

Slow Food Vancouver: How will you share what you learn?

Chris: Much of the work I do involves communicating with groups of interested people about issues of food governance, sustainable agriculture, and the social and economic relationships inherently part of ecological systems at this point in time. I feel that I will have ample opportunity to share what I have learned at Terra Madre through formal presentations as well as in small groups where collaborative learning can facilitate direct action. Working closely with Slow Food Vancouver upon my return will also help inspire and produce an additional range of opportunities to share what I have learned at Terra Madre with my community.

Slow Food Vancouver: What is one goal you would like to achieve in your own field or area of work?

Chris: One goal that I would like to achieve in my own field of work is gaining a better understanding of what similar projects are happening elsewhere and also develop a realistic understanding of the potential and limitations (successes and challenges) of these types of projects and the Slow Food movement as a whole. I also feel that being part of an international dialogue is a valuable point of reference for how to move food activism/advocacy work forwards.