Page 25 - Hillview_book

WHO WE ARE
Hillview Urban Agriculture Center
By Heidi Blanke, PhD
Thanks to a shared vision and generous support from Mayo Clinic Health System—Franciscan Healthcare, the La Crosse Community Foundation and Western Technical College, in fall 2015, Hillview will be housed in Western’s new Hor- ticulture Education Center, a state-of-the-art greenhouse! On the site of the old greenhouse, three energy-efficient homes are being built.
ALLit took was a vision. In the case of Hillview Urban Agriculture Center (Hillview), it was several community volunteers who saw
the need for a hub that would promote access to healthy food for everyone in our community. At their head was organizer Leanne Hedberg Carlson, who dreamed of a community organization that would en- sure nutritious, local food accessible to all. She spoke of “providing education and support for growing, preparing and preserving food for health.”
Hillview’s mission, creating a healthy community through a local, sustainable, accessible food system, has opened doors for full-fledged area collaboration. Supported by generous organizations and donors, Hillview’s programs involve people of all ages and from all walks of life. Mayo Clinic Health System— Franciscan Healthcare, the La Crosse Community Foundation, and Western Technical College are key collaborators.
Hillview’s mission touches on five aspects of urban agriculture and local food
systems:
u Soil
u Planting
u Eating
uLocal food system uCommunity collaboration
In one way or another, Hillview’s programs are connected to each other and
to numerous organizations. Hillview began as, and still is, a
grassroots effort that coordinates the work of educa- tors, food agencies, healthcare providers and commu- nity gardens, touching all parts of the food-producing process, from preparing the soil for planting to preparing the harvested bounty. The organization is dedicated to helping people understand the difference between simply acting as food consumers and acting as stewards of those who generate our food.
Urban agriculture, the idea of growing and distrib- uting food in cities and towns, is not a new concept, but in the wake of food deserts (an urban area in which it is difficult to buy affordable or good-quality fresh food), American obesity issues and a frenzied lifestyle, it is quickly regaining importance. Hillview is off to a remarkable start, finding its place among the many organizations, businesses and institu-
tions that strive to make positive changes to the local food system in the La Crosse
area. Hillview will be housed in the Horticulture Education Center,
Western Technical College’s new state-of-the-art greenhouse that
will be completed in the fall of 2015, and will serve as a nucleus for those wanting to make a connection to local, healthy food, whether as vol-
unteers, growers, distributors, educators or simply interested
consumers.
Hillview Mission:
Creating a healthy community through a local, sustainable, and accessible food system.
Providing education and support for growing, preparing, and preserving food for health.
HillviewUAC.org
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