Food Day Meets Basketball in Española

(This is the second in a series of blog posts to commemorate  Local Food Month  and Food Day in New Mexico during October in which we feature  people and organizations who seek to raise awareness and offer solutions to problems of hunger and poverty and promote nutrition and sustainability.  We will also highlight a number of anti-hunger events).

Organizers of Food Day in northern New Mexico and students at Northern New Mexico College invite you to join them during the week of Oct. 24-31 for two simultaneous celebrations -- the kick-off to the 2011-12 women's and men's college basketball seasons at NNMC and a week-long series of food-focused events to celebrate national Food Day.  They include the grand finale of their local harvest season & Farmers Market, the grand opening of Sostenga Center's new sustainable food cafe on the NNMC Española campus, and the Traditional Agriculture & Sustainable Living Conference,

NNMC's Student Senate has declared this week "Basketball Spirit Week" to celebrate the beginning of 2011-12 college basketball season and launch our men's and women's Northern Eagles to high-flying championship seasons. College basketball season kicks off on the weekend of October 28th-29th at NNMC's gymnasium in Española with the Santa Claran Classic Tournament.

**SCHEDULE OF EVENTS*** 

Monday, Oct. 24 -- Student Senate celebrates national Food Day & the start of Basketball Spirit Week by sponsoring a locally harvested feast for our basketball teams and all Northern students! Time: 5:30 to 7 pm. Location: NNMC gymnasium, Española campus. WE NEED VOLUNTEERS TO HELP COOK & SERVE FOOD! E-mail asnnmc@nnmc.edu for more info or to help volunteer.

Wednesday, Oct. 26 -- ¡Sostenga! Tiendita Grand Opening! with ¡Sostenga! Farm & Commercial Kitchen tours. Time: All day. Location: JCI Building and field at 1021 North Railroad Avenue, NNMC Española campus. Come support the launch of Northern's new "tiendita" (little store) specializing in espresso coffee and healthier, locally produced & processed food choices. E-mail sostenga@nnmc.edu or visit http://www.sostengalavida.com/ to learn more about the exciting programs coordinated by NNMC's ¡Sostenga! Center for Sustainable Food, Agriculture & Environment.

Thursday, Oct. 27 -- Bonfire and pep rally at NNMC's Espanola campus with Student Senate and Northern Eagles basketball players! On the night before the start of our 2011-12 college basketball season, join the whole Northern community to send our prayers into the fire for a successful winning / championship season! Time: 7 to 9:30 pm. Location: Outside NNMC's gymnasium at the Española campus.

Friday Oct 28 & Saturday Oct 29: Traditional Agriculture & Sustainable Living Conference, with keynote speaker physicist and environmentalist Vandana Shiva, PhD. The conference includes internationally renowned speakers as well as local and regional experts in the areas of food security and sustainable ecology a heritage seed exchange, workshops, and panels on youth issues in the 21st century, food and nutrition, water issues, traditional farming, land restoration and medicinal herbs. Register to attend through the conference Web site Click here to view schedule

Monday, Oct 31: Join the Española Farmers Market for a Halloween/Season Finale Celebration! Time: 9 am to 5 pm. Location: 1005 North Railroad Avenue, Española, New Mexico.