Urban Farming & Food Disparity with Chris Battle - RGK Cooking School Ep. 7
When Pastor Chris Battle left his brick-and-mortar church in 2019, he wanted to find a new way to minister and to fight food disparity in East Knoxville. He wanted to take the church to the people, and BattleField Farm was born. We were fortunate to have Pastor Battle join us in Episode 7 of RGK Cooking School for a conversation about food disparity in our community, urban farming as a new kind of ministry and answering God’s call to feed the people.
If you missed the live broadcast, you can watch the whole episode here.
All proceeds from this episode benefit BattleField Farm. Please consider making a donation to support their work.
FOOD DISPARITY IN OUR COMMUNITY
15 census tracts in Knoxville are identified by the USDA as food deserts which means that access to fresh food is limited. Food insecurity and lack of access to fresh food can be directly tied to a higher prevalence of obesity and diet-related diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.
Food access is also food justice. Economic inequality and systemic racism directly impact our food system. Rather than food desert, Pastor Battle prefers the term food apartheid to decribe what the East Knoxville faces--it’s a term that takes into account the inequities and injustices that are at work in our food system and emphasizes the systemic issues that need to be addressed.
We urge you to learn more and figure out how you can get involved.
THESE RESOURCES ARE A GOOD PLACE TO START:
“Fighting Food Deserts in East Tennessee,” WUOT, November 15, 2018
Food Insecurity and Obesity in Tennessee, A Report from the Sycamore Institute, May 16, 2017
Food Insecurity in the United States, Map the Meal Gap, Feeding America
“[Activist] Karen Washington: It’s Not a Food Desert, It’s Food Apartheid,” Guernica, May 7, 2018
“New Generation of Black-Led Co-ops want to end Food Insecurity,” The Root, December 19, 2019
“Why Food Belongs in Our Discussions of Race,” Civil Eats, September 3, 2015
SUMMER VEGETABLE SAUTE
(INSPIRED BY FARMER CHRIS BATTLE)
This recipe is more of a suggested technique. It’s adaptable for any vegetables you love. You can use vegetables only or add sausage, shrimp or other protein. Let the vegetables and the season inspire you. Pastor Battle likes to use what he’s growing at his farm. You could add okra or other leafy greens like spinach, kale or collards. Tomatoes would also be a nice addition, as would carrots, sugar snap peas, broccoli, or sweet potatoes.
Adjust the quantity of vegetables based on the number of people you want to feed. The quantities below will feed 3-4 (depending on how many hungry teenagers you have in the house). Rice or bread would be a good accompaniment.
INGREDIENTS:
3 T Olive Oil (or more as needed)
1 Medium-size Zucchini
1 Medium-size Yellow Squash
1 ea Red, Green & Yellow Bell Peppers
1 Bunch Asparagus
½ Medium Onion (if you like)
2 Cloves Garlic (if you like)
1lb Andouille or Italian Sausage or Shrimp
Salt
Pepper
Chili flakes (if you like)
Fresh or dried herbs and spices like Parsley, Cilantro, Oregano, Cumin, Fennel Seeds
Fresh lemon juice or cider or red wine vinegar to taste
DIRECTIONS:
Dice the onion. Slice the garlic into thin slices. Chop the remaining vegetables into bite-size pieces. Slice the sausage into bite-size pieces.