UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Student Farm Club invites students, faculty and community members to dinner and a movie — Local Foods Night and a free screening of the documentary film “Just Eat It” — on April 18 as part of Penn State’s Earth Week activities.
Beginning with Local Foods Night from 5 to 7 p.m. at Redifer Commons, the student farm, alongside other local growers, is providing fresh produce, grown on campus, to Redifer Commons for the meal. No meal plan is required; cash and credit cards will be accepted.
“It’s a great addition to the local meal to be able to work with produce grown on campus by the student farm,” Chef Stephane Gawlowicz, who will be preparing the local meal, said. “Our guests are enthusiastic to know that produce is coming from campus; it’s a big plus for everyone.”
While the menu has not yet been finalized, Gawlowicz offered a hint of what is being planned.
“I can tell you we’ll have some lamb and/or vegetable tagine, with some crunchy lettuce, of course,” Gawlowicz said.
Following the meal, the Student Farm Club has partnered with Eco-Action and the Community Nutrition and Food Security Club to host a screening and panel discussion of the film “Just Eat It.” The free screening will begin at 7 p.m. in 102 Thomas Building and is open to the public. Filmmakers and food lovers Jen Rustemeyer and Grant Baldwin dive into the issue of food waste from farm to home consumption. After catching a glimpse of the amount of food that is tossed each year in North America, they pledge to quit grocery shopping and survive on foods that have been discarded. Featuring interviews with author, activist and TED lecturer Tristram Stuart, food waste expert Dana Gunders and author Jonathan Bloom, “Just Eat It” reveals the core of this issue.“The Student Farm Club takes a holistic approach to how we think about our food system," said Alyssa Gurklis, internal development director of the Student Farm Club. “From production to consumption, every step of the process is important to consider. We wanted to host this event so we could engage the community in a larger conversation about food waste.”Following the film, attendees will be joined by panelists Emily Newman, Penn State student and founder of the Green2Go program; Judd Michael, professor of sustainable business; and Lisa Wandel, director of Penn State Food Services, for a discussion on the film and food waste at Penn State. These events are among those hosted by sustainability-focused organizations that will take place throughout Earth Week, leading up to Earth Day on April 22.