Community Food Systems

Community Food Systems

Community Food Systems

This extension program addresses issues at the intersection of communities, food and agriculture. It employs a holistic, interdisciplinary approach that fosters sustainable development and promotes health and wellbeing.

Foodways & Argentina: For the Love of Empanadas (Kentucky 4-H Global Education Curriculum)
Dr. Nicole Breazeale, Author
This 4-H curriculum teaches youth to appreciate how food-related traditions are an important way to learn about families, communities and cultures. It introduces the idea of “globalization” and explores how empanadas have moved around the world and been adapted due to migration, resource availability and cultural preference. Youth will also gain an increased appreciation and understanding of Latin American foods by preparing Argentine empanadas and visiting a local Latin American grocery store.

Survey of SNAP Food Providers in Eight Kentucky Counties
Dr. Dan Kahl, Karen Fawcett, Jayoung Koo, Kang Namkoong and Jairus Rossi, Authors
This series of publications share information on rural grocery SNAP food providers in eight Kentucky Counties. Publications include:

A Policy, Systems and Environment Approach to Community Health
Dr. Dan Kahl, Author
This document helps Cooperative Extension agents and health advocates to tease apart the complexity of community living and use a Policy, Systems and Environment (PSE) approach to identify assets and barriers to community health and explore the importance of engaging community members in the process. The process can be used with food systems, or more broadly with community health issues.

Extension Recovery Garden Network
Dr. Nicole Breazeale and Jann Knappage, Contacts
This peer network of extension agents and SNAP ED Assistants began meeting monthly in 2020, with organizational assistance from a team of leaders across program areas (Bethany Pratt, Horticulture; Jann Knappage, NEP; Alex Elswick, FCS; and Nicole Breazeale, CLD). Our community of practice builds the capacity of extension educators from around the state who offer gardening programs at substance use recovery centers. Meetings are via Zoom from 11:15-12:15 on the last Friday of every month.

Growing Leaders in Your "Community" Garden
Amanda Beavin, Bethany Pratt and Dr. Nicole Breazeale, Presenters
Garden management and upkeep at community gardens, school gardens, recovery gardens and local venues often falls into the hands of extension agents. In this recorded webinar, agents learn how spending time developing a leadership structure can have big pay-offs for both extension AND the people utilizing the garden.

Contact Us

For more information and resources, contact the following extension faculty:

  • Dr. Nicole Breazeale heads up extension programming in community food systems, with a strong focus on social

Contact Information

Dr. Wes Harrison, Ph.D.
Department Chair

500 W.P. Garrigus Building Lexington, KY 40546-0215

(859) 562-2788