Outreach and Community Engagement
Resources and Knowledge for Food Production
Knowledge is essential when it comes to comes to food production and reducing food waste. The lab recommends the following resources.
Build Your Own "KoolCat" Mobile Cooling Unit
Mobile coolers are a flexible, low-cost tool for growers. These coolers can transport fresh produce to markets and can be used for stationary cold storage when harvesting fragile fruits and vegetables.
K-State students and staff at the K-State Olathe Horticulture Research and Extension Center built a mobile cooling unit — nicknamed "KoolCat" — that has been used in numerous K-State Research and Extension educational days and programs, as well as demonstrations for local farmers, students and enthusiasts.
The "KoolCat" builders put together a PDF guide so others can build their own mobile cooling unit. The guide includes materials, instructions with pictures and cost of materials.
Ongoing Educational Opportunities
Gaining Ground Webinar Series
Gaining Ground is a free webinar series geared toward agriculture educators. The goal of Gaining Ground is to equip agriculture educators with knowledge from national experts that support Urban Food Systems enterprises in the region. Participants will learn technical and systems-level information for successful Urban Food Systems practices through the series.
Urban Food Systems Symposium
This bi-annual symposium brings together academic and research-oriented professionals from around the world to share and gain knowledge on urban food systems and the role they play in global food security.
It features research, knowledge and practices on urban agricultural production, local food systems distribution, climate change, nutrition, urban farmer education, urban ag policy, planning and development, food access and justice and food sovereignty.
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