Inaugural Poughkeepsie Urban Food System Bike Tour

On the afternoon of May 6, five bikes set out from the PFP on an orientation to the urban food system in Poughkeepsie. The goal was for the PFP, including this year’s Farming for the City interns, to participate in interactions designed to learn about how people are working to make changes in our food system and mobilizing to meet our community’s needs and what is currently or historically important to understand about our urban food system if we are concerned with making it more just and sustainable.
Here are a few things we learned about and people we learned from:

At Artist’s Palate, Chef Megan Fells spoke about why and how she and her partner Charlie came to choose to establish their restaurant downtown and to prioritize local food in their menu selections. She also addressed the rewards, challenges and constraints entailed in those choices. We were rewarded with a fresh and delicious bok choi salad!

At the Main Street Heritage Center, Roy Budnik spoke about the history of food retail on Main Street, what has come and gone over the years (including the fact that the first IGA – or Independent Grocer’s Association – grocery was in Poughkeepsie), what models of food retail work in urban centers, and what role the farmers' market plays in the downtown food landscape.

At Dutchess Outreach, Executive Director Brian Riddell spoke with us about local emergency food - who is served and how, what are the challenges, constraints and future priorities, and how has the demand has changed over the past couple years.

The tour also visited the new Fall Kill Partnership Gardens, a volunteer initiative that has established approximately 30 community garden plots behind the Family Partnership Center; La Poblanita, a small grocery store on Main Street with a lot of Latino cuisine; and the PFP, of course, an urban food system initiative located within the limits of the City of Poughkeepsie!
After all these interactions, we were challenged to explore new avenues for improving access to fresh and nutritious food even as we were energized by the thoughtfulness, initiative and commitment of those who ensure there is food in our urban center.