BFA Newsletter - 11/27/22
A Note From Dan
The season continues its annual rhythm, with fall passing into winter and the opportunities for introspection and vision that it always holds.
This fall I traveled across the US and Europe, with presentations in Italy, France, the Netherlands, Colorado, Utah, Montana, Texas, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, and New York. Wonderful groups and community in all locations. It is great to have the opportunity to share time with and feel the grounding of so many great groups around the world. When people ask me what I sense from all this travel, it is simply that there are so many of us doing good work in the world, and the future as I see it looks quite bright!
The winter schedule so far includes events in Iowa, Kentucky, Arizona, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Manitoba and Rwanda! Check our calendar and social to see where we may be able to be present in person.
While the BFA is broadening its wings carrying the message and teachings of nutrient density, we remain a grassroots organization, supported by folks who believe in the systemic change and possibilities of what’s to come. Each one of our members, chapter leaders and participants, donors, and grantors is imperative to our work and success.
We’re gearing up for 2023 with these initiatives:
Define Nutrient Density and what causes it
Completing the Beef Study with Utah State University - This work is so important to fully define what represents the highest quality/best potential beef and define what biomarkers and patterns lead to these outcomes.
Broaden this study to additional crops
Hold space around the definition of Nutrient Density through the Bionutrient Institute to integrate with many others. Companies, organizations, researchers, nutritional experts, growers, eaters, and more.
Bionutrient Meter
Bring forth the next generation of this catalyst in our strategy to empower the consumer to detect nutrient density as a purchasing decision to drive demand for high-quality food.
Community
Chapters - supporting the local initiatives to share in the joy of knowledge and learnings around growing nutrient-dense foods
Conference - our annual conference staying online this year, but following a similar pattern to 2021, one presentation a week and ongoing for months.
My perspective spreading across events, courses, keynotes, podcasts, and musings.
ALL of our work is funded by generous donations from folks like you! We’re seeking to fund our 2023 budget so we can hit the ground running and focus on the task at hand - Increasing the Quality of the Food Supply. Be there for us, and with us through this work; be a member of our organization and offer your support in whatever way you can.
In gratitude,
Dan and Team
Our Own Property!
Exciting news! Through the donation of a generous benefactor, the BFA was able to purchase 9 acres in central Massachusetts this fall to be used as an education and demonstration site.
This is a wonderful opportunity to be able to hold courses and engage in broader demonstration work on our own land we are very excited to start programming in the near future.
Chapters Update
What a wonderful time to be involved in growing and eating really good food! Local Chapters offer the opportunity to support the global movement of increasing the quality of our food supply while engaging in a local community centered around regionally relevant topics of regenerative, biological systems. Local Chapters participate in farmer education, community events and potlucks, community outreach, tours, volunteer opportunities, and much more!
Our interest in Local Chapters is spreading almost daily as we continue to receive inquiries from folks hoping to connect with others in their area. If you have thought about joining or starting a Local Chapter, please reach out to chapters@bionutrient.org and we can help you get plugged in. It's so much easier to get started when you have one or two other people to share ideas and responsibilities. There may be someone in your town looking to connect with you! And please don't think our Local Chapters are limited to the United States. We have people from around the world reaching out and wanting to join the BFA community.
Soil Health Guidance Now Available to BFA Members
We have partnered with the Soil Health Guide to help our members learn about and foster the health of the soil in their own backyards!
The presentation of a truly healthy plant takes time to perceive, and it’s more than the hue of green, how big it is, how fast it grows. We can learn to recognize plant health by picking up on nuanced color, structural form, reproductive vigor and uniformity, flexibility, and environmental resilience as health indicators along with taste, smell, and texture. These subtle plant health characteristics can be perceived with our senses, and we can learn to read the soil the same way.
Seeder members receive a 25% discount off of a consultation; Planter members and above receive 100% off. Each member is eligible for one consult a year.
HOW IT WORKS:
Step 1: Make sure your membership is active on our new website by logging in. You should see discount code information in your Member Portal. If you are not yet a member, please sign up for a membership. Contact info@bionutrient.org with any questions!
Step 2: Visit the Soil Health Guide's BFA page and follow the instructions to sign up for your initial consult and collect your soil samples. Use your code at checkout.
GivingTuesday
On November 29th, we are participating in GivingTuesday, a global generosity movement, unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world.
We're asking our community to join us this GivingTuesday, supporting our work to help mitigate the impacts of climate change and champion vitality and health for future generations. To date, we have produced empirical data which demonstrates the variation that exists in the food supply.
Our next steps include three goals:
Define nutrient density, that is, define what is quality via scientific research to understand the full spectrum of nutrients in a crop.
Identify what causes it.
Create a portable meter, the Bionutrient Meter, that you can use at the point of purchase or anywhere to access the nutrient content of food.
GivingTuesday is an opportunity for people around the world to stand together in unity—to use their individual power of generosity to remain connected and heal. We’d love your support on these endeavors to serve the collective global community, health of ourselves and our life-giving planet.
