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Perennial Plate: La Minga
Posted on Tue, October 02, 2012 by Slow Food USA
1 Comments | Categories: Farms and Farming, Food Justice,
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The Perennial Plate is a fantastic documentary series that explores socially responsible, sustainable and adventurous eating across the U.S. Slow Food USA has a video content partnership with Perennial to showcase one of our favorite films every month.
This Month’s Perennial Plate Feature: La Minga
“Minga” is a word native to the Quechua people of South America. It translates to “collective work,” and stems from indigenous ideals of community in Andean history. Today, “minga” is often used to describe the coming together of the community or a community for the betterment of all.
In the case of the community organic farm shown in this month’s Perennial Plate feature, cooperative collective work is vital to its existence. Nelson Escobar, the coordinator of the 15-acre farm in Louisville, KY shares his vision that good food is an inherent right and a necessity for all.
Escobar began the farm as a means to preserve cultural diversity in his community. Members are each given the opportunity to grow two to three vegetable varieties from their native countries. Through their collaboration on the farm, members are able to share traditional methods of cultivation and preserve crops of cultural and historical significance. As we learn from Escobar and his fellow urban farmers, the farm continues to work to reduce the cost of food within the community and to promote the local workforce.
We hope this film inspires you!
Member Comments
From Elizabeth Frank on Wed, October 10, 2012
Great to see this film on the Slow Food website. I am connected to an indigenous Quechua family in Peru and have witnessed the deep roots that community has; people truly pull together and help one another plant, harvest, build, cook, etc. It is inspiring to see this man bringing the tradition of the “minga” to his community in the States. I live in a rural farming community where historically people raised barns and put up harvest together; some of that still exists, but most people are focused on their individual farms, businesses and lives. I have been trying to find a way to form a collective or cooperative on my farm that promotes cultural and eco diversity , shares skill sets, wisdom and brings people together…it’s a challenge. I would like to talk with Mr. Escobar to find out out he got his “Minga” going. Is there a way to contact him? I have put my ideas for the farm out on my website http://www.effarm.com Any .suggestions are most welcome. Thanks for sharing this film!
