Hi! I’m Addie, an Urban Education and Outreach Intern. Here in Roxbury we’re all very excited that today kicked of the first day of our 3rd annual Eat In, Act Out week. While the main event of the week is our 7th annual Day of Action, this whole week is full of events we’d love for you to check out!

In case you’ve never heard of Eat In, Act Out week or the Day of Action, I’ll let you in on the details. The BLAST interns started the Day of Action 7 years ago. They decided that the best way to “Act Out” about local food was to take it to the streets… and bring carrots with them. So for the last 7 years we’ve been heading to Copley Square on the first Wednesday of August to hand out carrots and talk to people about eating local. We also have taste-testing and a display of what grows in Boston.

3 years ago the day went national and became a whole week, Eat In, Act Out week. Now every year organizations around the country host their own events encouraging people from their community to go loco for local. San Diego Food Not Lawns is hosting a week of workshops, an edible bike tour, a tomato test at their city hall and a community dinner. Evergreen Community Gardens in Seattle is having a celebration of local food and art. Growing Green Youth in Buffalo is hosting a barbeque complete with skits on local food and youth-led tours. These are just a few of the many events that members of our national community are hosting. To see all the events check out this handy map with all the details.

That brings us up to this year, our first year hosting the week as Urban Education and Outreach interns (a merger between BLAST and Urban Education Internships). This year not only will we return to Copley Square but we will also be working with North Shore interns to have Lynn’s first ever Day of Action. Whether in Boston or Lynn we are all pumped to talk with members of community and spread the word about local food. Other events we are hosting include one time guerilla farmer’s markets at Boston Medical Center and the Bowdoin and Geneva neighborhood in Dorchester as well as a potluck dinner on our Urban Learning Farm.

If you can’t make it to any events, or even if you can, you can always be a part of the week by Eating In. Here at The Food Project we’re keeping logs and having a competition to see who can eat the most local food. We encourage everyone to have their own contest, between your family, your friends, your co-workers or anyone else who’s interested. In addition we encourage you to post a pledge here as a comment saying how much you can spend on local food this August. Last year, with the help of multiple organizations, farmers markets and of course lots of individuals, we recorded a total of $24,070 pledged to be spent on local food in August. It doesn’t have to be enough, all we ask for is some commitment to eating local. With your help maybe we can raise even more this year!

Even if you just buy one local apple, you’re eating in. Even if you just tell one friend, you’re acting out. So please this week, this month, this year find every opportunity to Eat In and Act Out.

And remember to check out the map for events near you.

Have great day!

Addie