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local food / food justice exhibit |
Minnesota State Fair - Horticulture Building
The Common Table was founded by seven passionate people on the belief that conversation inspires collaboration, new ideas, and actions that lead to a more holistic, just, and sustainable system for buying, selling, eating, producing and preparing food. Through community meetings, storytelling, and exhibit design, the members of The Common Table shared new ideas and formed new partnerships to prove that new ways of thinking about food are possible, setting the foundation for a broader understanding of our relationship with food.
A founding member and long time contributor, Josh helped design, build, network, support, curate and program this unique project.
Now managed by the Metro Food Justice Network, (a collaboration of individuals and organizations in the Twin Cities Metro Area partnering to advance racial equity by transforming our food system. We center communities that are most affected by systemic racism in the food system; Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), through collective power and shared resources) this exhibit was conceived, designed and developed as a network that included members of the food and design community working to promote local food in Minnesota.
In the inaugural year, this group developed and built the exhibit structure in a wing of the Horticulture Building at the 2014 Minnesota State Fair. The result was a hit among fair-goers and they were invited back in 2015 to bring more ideas about local food to the fair. In 2015 we developed six interactive and educational stations for the exhibit. These six stations were based on The Common Table’s Actions We Aspire To Inspire.
The Common Table was stewarded by this group for 10 years. In 2024, ownership of The Common Table was transferred to Metro Food Justice Network (MFJN). With much gratitude to the organizers below and all the volunteers through the years, MFJN is excited to take on leadership of The Common Table in 2024! To learn more about this next phase, please visit The Common Table page at mfjn.org.
The exhibit, located in the southeast hall of the Horticulture Building at the Minnesota State Fair is comprised of CNC cut baltic birch wood framing and recycled paper tubes.
The 2014 year’s exhibit theme was “Local Food Stories” and showcased individuals’ stories about local and sustainable food in Minnesota.
Involvement
Work done at a previous design firm.
A founding member and long time contributor, Josh helped design, build, network, support, curate and program this unique project.
Now managed by the Metro Food Justice Network, (a collaboration of individuals and organizations in the Twin Cities Metro Area partnering to advance racial equity by transforming our food system. We center communities that are most affected by systemic racism in the food system; Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), through collective power and shared resources) this exhibit was conceived, designed and developed as a network that included members of the food and design community working to promote local food in Minnesota.
In the inaugural year, this group developed and built the exhibit structure in a wing of the Horticulture Building at the 2014 Minnesota State Fair. The result was a hit among fair-goers and they were invited back in 2015 to bring more ideas about local food to the fair. In 2015 we developed six interactive and educational stations for the exhibit. These six stations were based on The Common Table’s Actions We Aspire To Inspire.
The Common Table was stewarded by this group for 10 years. In 2024, ownership of The Common Table was transferred to Metro Food Justice Network (MFJN). With much gratitude to the organizers below and all the volunteers through the years, MFJN is excited to take on leadership of The Common Table in 2024! To learn more about this next phase, please visit The Common Table page at mfjn.org.
The exhibit, located in the southeast hall of the Horticulture Building at the Minnesota State Fair is comprised of CNC cut baltic birch wood framing and recycled paper tubes.
The 2014 year’s exhibit theme was “Local Food Stories” and showcased individuals’ stories about local and sustainable food in Minnesota.
Involvement
- Founding Member
- Designer
- Community Outreach
- Long time contributor
Work done at a previous design firm.
intentions
The Challenge
Technology has enabled us to eat whatever we want, whenever we want, at all times of the year, as well as the ability to procure, preserve, and transport foods from thousands of miles away.
The abundance of food in America and the ability to experience the world’s cuisines is in many ways a good thing. Yet, there are costs associated with this transformation of food in our society: many of us do not know where our food comes from; poor food options lead to health problems; many food production techniques and packaging negatively impact the natural environment; despite the abundance, food inequities persist.
Whether to combat these ills or simply to move toward a more rooted relationship with our food, there are a growing number of individuals and groups who are striving to share a message and to set an example of a different paradigm of growing, eating, and buying. Urban farmers are reclaiming empty city lots for community gardens. Many restaurants are choosing
to purchase all or part of the food they serve from local sources. Organizations and schools are developing and sharing knowledge so that the changes we bring about are long-term and sustainable.
The Mission
The mission of The Common Table is to provide space for community conversations about intentional food choices. Using engaging educational experiences, we expose the ecological, social, and economic benefits of a community based food system. We will share food stories, be proof of the possible, and set the foundation for a broader understanding of our relationship with food.
The diversity of groups and individuals working toward a Minnesota with better food choices is exciting—co-ops and farmers’ markets, local community gardens, farms, schools and university programs, non-profits, churches, community centers, corporations, and restaurants. It is the efforts of these organizations that have made the food scene, and our community as a whole, much more diverse, rich, and engaged. In the spirit of the many ways that our relationship with food is evolving, we are creating a unique and interactive exhibit called The Common Table at this year’s State Fair.
Your stories are inspiring, and we invite you to share them at The Common Table!
On a practical level, the exhibit empowers people to take action by providing them with information.
Where can I buy local food? What restaurants support local growers? How can I grow my own food or nurture healthy soil if I don’t have a yard? Where are there food deserts? How do I preserve produce to prevent food waste?
These are just a few of the hurdles that may prevent people from engaging with local and sustainable food, and by lowering these barriers, we aspire to inspire the following actions.
Technology has enabled us to eat whatever we want, whenever we want, at all times of the year, as well as the ability to procure, preserve, and transport foods from thousands of miles away.
The abundance of food in America and the ability to experience the world’s cuisines is in many ways a good thing. Yet, there are costs associated with this transformation of food in our society: many of us do not know where our food comes from; poor food options lead to health problems; many food production techniques and packaging negatively impact the natural environment; despite the abundance, food inequities persist.
Whether to combat these ills or simply to move toward a more rooted relationship with our food, there are a growing number of individuals and groups who are striving to share a message and to set an example of a different paradigm of growing, eating, and buying. Urban farmers are reclaiming empty city lots for community gardens. Many restaurants are choosing
to purchase all or part of the food they serve from local sources. Organizations and schools are developing and sharing knowledge so that the changes we bring about are long-term and sustainable.
The Mission
The mission of The Common Table is to provide space for community conversations about intentional food choices. Using engaging educational experiences, we expose the ecological, social, and economic benefits of a community based food system. We will share food stories, be proof of the possible, and set the foundation for a broader understanding of our relationship with food.
The diversity of groups and individuals working toward a Minnesota with better food choices is exciting—co-ops and farmers’ markets, local community gardens, farms, schools and university programs, non-profits, churches, community centers, corporations, and restaurants. It is the efforts of these organizations that have made the food scene, and our community as a whole, much more diverse, rich, and engaged. In the spirit of the many ways that our relationship with food is evolving, we are creating a unique and interactive exhibit called The Common Table at this year’s State Fair.
Your stories are inspiring, and we invite you to share them at The Common Table!
On a practical level, the exhibit empowers people to take action by providing them with information.
Where can I buy local food? What restaurants support local growers? How can I grow my own food or nurture healthy soil if I don’t have a yard? Where are there food deserts? How do I preserve produce to prevent food waste?
These are just a few of the hurdles that may prevent people from engaging with local and sustainable food, and by lowering these barriers, we aspire to inspire the following actions.
the founders
DESIGN TEAM
Marley Moser
Rebekka
LinDan
Corrie
Jeremiah
Josh Bergeron
Marley Moser
Rebekka
LinDan
Corrie
Jeremiah
Josh Bergeron
process
click to enlarge
partners
