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Tim LaBant likes to promote eating organic, locally grown food. He also likes to promote his Schoolhouse Restaurant. Wednesday night at the Wilton Library he got to do both at a panel discussion titled "Nourishing Our Community."
The chef/restaurateur said that if people want organic foods to continue to be available, “you have to pay more -- and you have to eat at my restaurant."
Joining LaBant was Annie Farrell, the master farmer at Millstone Farm, and Jim Hunter, a science teacher and founder of the school garden at Wilton High School. All discussed what they have done to help improve what people eat.
And all said their efforts would be in vain if the people from the area did not support healthful eating. Farrell said she was worried that chefs would not buy Millstone produce because the farm's food is grown seasonally.
"We have to pinch ourselves that the [chefs] are willing to work with us," Farrell said.
Hunter is assisted by donations of money and manpower from the town as well as by Chartwells, the company that supplies food to Wilton High School using the vegetables grown in the school garden.
And the students support Hunter by working in the garden and eating what they grow. This surprised the teacher, who said that at first most did not even want to try the produce.
"I have kids eating fresh fruit and vegetables from the time we wash it to before we can get it to the cafeteria," Hunter said.
The night began with the film "Nourish: Food+Community," which also examines the topics of locally grown organic foods. Sponsoring Wednesday's event was Wilton Go Green along with the Wilton Library, Fairfield Green Food Guide and Fairfield Organic Teaching Farm.
