About Us
It takes a universe of effort to change a local food system to one that’s more locally based and secure. We all come to this work because of a deep feeling of commitment to what we are doing. The Network has come a long way since March 2020 and we continue to grow by leaps and bounds, even in the midst of COVID, fires and growing pains. We are currently undergoing an upgrade and inviting more of our community into our fold to help our community become more food sovereign. Please join us!
In 2018, Pamm was still working on national food issues via her organization The Good Food Brigade. The mission was to get folks growing more of their own food via a Victory Garden campaign. During that period, she also did a very deep dive into the climate situation. Much of the data she read, pointed to our region being one that had the capacity to support a reasonable population, if the worst scenario became reality.
Our Origin Story
Maria Giovanni and Pamm Larry came together in 2017 to write a Local Food Assessment (LFA). At that time, Maria was a professor at CSU Chico (see her bio below). Pamm had worked on food policy issues from the state to the global level. Both felt that a LFA was a first step to bring together all the sectors of our local food system so we could start working together toward more food sovereignty.
The small group that formed had a few meetings but did not have the capacity to focus on such a huge endeavor at that time. So, Pamm and Maria decided to switch the focus of their efforts to a more fun, grassroots, on-the-ground level effort and formed the Butte County Good Food Network. Together with Donna Garrison and a few others, they did a few events but, again, due to other jobs and focus, nothing much came of it.
Then on November 8, 2018, the Camp Fire burned her community down. It was a huge wake-up call to all in our county and impacted all of our psyches, if not our living situations. Pamm decided to abandon all other work and focus 100% of her efforts on the local food system right here in Butte County. She took a year to get to know her community again, after working outside the area for so many years. Then in October 2019, she changed the name of the organization to the Butte County Local Food Network to be more reflective of our mission and relaunched the organization with its own 501c3. By March of 2020, we had our first Garden Blitz and have been growing ever since.
Our Core Team is still small and mighty, but our love for our community and our passion for food fuels all our programs. We invite you to meet our team and hear directly from them about why they are here. Feel free to contact any of them via our contact form and we will get you to the person you want to talk with.
Cassidy Wear ~Market Manager
I am a locally grown foodie, and I help run the Farmers Market Mobile with Butte County Local Food Network. We in Butte County are so blessed to have amazing farmers and the seasonal bounty of incredible produce. I love getting to bring locally grown food to our recovering communities on the ridge and help inspire the movement towards local food. I strive to be a part of connecting folks with our existing local food systems, while also fostering our natural desire to grow and share food with one another. There is a very real concern for our survival amidst corporate greed and climate catastrophe. I hope to continue to share in the joy and healing of taking small everyday steps to localize our food system, reorient ourselves towards tending the land that feeds us, and share that journey.
Toni Zanella ~ Board Secretary ~ Founding Member of BCLFN
I am a 3rd generation ‘Chicoan,’ with generational roots in the kitchen garden and foraging. I love sharing knowledge about gardening, nutrition, and growing, cooking and preserving food. Being on the board of the Butte County Local Food Network allows me to apply my passions in meaningful and tangible ways.
Pamm Larry ~ Initial Instigator, Chief Rabble Rouser ~ Founding Member of BCLFN
Amy Roseman ~ Outreach Ambassador
I am a Local food advocate, community activist, the Vecino Compost Manager and Outreach Ambassador for the Network. Food is already a language we all share and I am passionate about expanding the conversation. Through this work, I get to exercise that passion, by empowering our community to grow their own food and supporting our local producers to ensure a healthy, resilient local food system. I love that my work is inclusive of everything from our individual health, to the health of our soil food web.
I believe that working on food system issues enables me to work on all social issues from food security, to water issues, taking care of the planet, social justice, and building bridges in our divided culture...and, it’s tasty. To that end, I have my fingers in most of the projects we do, but love when others take the lead. It is a joy and an honor to work in a community that is doing all it can to heal in body, mind and spirit and keeps trying. I eagerly look forward to seeing the new food system we co-create for our current and future food security for generations to come.
Nicole LaJeunesse ~ Staff Grant Writer
As a writer and editor with a passion for storytelling, I write grant proposals that connect the ideals of food sovereignty to BCLFN’s on-the-ground efforts. My passion for local food stems from a passion for delicious home cooked meals. Everyone has to eat, so I aim to eat well.
Maria Giovanni ~ Board Member
Much of my life has been centered around making food and feeding people with family and in the community in my hometown of Willows, CA. I saw how incredibly hard farmers work to get food to us and have worked in a variety of jobs for large and small food companies. My experiences give me an understanding and a concern about our global food system and the importance of food sovereignty, so I am excited to be part of the Butte County Local Food Network to ensure that we are all well-nourished, in body, mind, and spirit! Specific projects include the Butte County Food Assessment, collecting information to share with consumers, producers, and decision makers, and having fun!
Donna Garrison ~ Bean Counter ~Founding Member of BCLFN
Growing and cooking organic food has always been one of my greatest passions. Having an abundance of farms nearby makes Butte County such an enriched community! I love supporting farmers and developing beautiful relationships with them. My role with BCLFN is working with these farmers, and the Marketmobile bringing fresh organic local food to our nearby communities. Cooking food with local ingredients is one of my greatest loves in life and I bring that love to the Network and my community by creating farm-to-table dinners. I am also the bookkeeper.
Rosemary Febbo ~ Admin Veterans Garden Project
My relationship with food is one of the most important connections I have with my world. I promote good food, slow food, local and sustainable food on a daily basis and have done this publicly for more than 40 years. I believe in supporting local farmers and helping others find the pleasure of gardening and growing their own food. I produced and hosted Mama Rose’s Kitchen community radio show on KZFR 90.1 fm for over twelve years, and during that time was introduced to much of the local food scene. I feel truly blessed living in the north state with the abundance of farm fresh food.
Geri Mahood ~ Board Member
As a retired teacher, I want to stay involved helping others. BCLFN is a great place to do that. It unites my interests in healthy living, the environment, and best practices for our local community.
Linen Cannon ~ Assistant Manager for the Marketmobile
I work with Cassidy as the Market Mobile Assistant. I love getting to help people have more access to local food. I look forward to seeing this program progress and seeing the communities I work with gain greater strength and power over the sourcing and quality of their food. I’m also a major home-cooking food fanatic and will gladly converse with most people about their own food projects.
Amber French St. Clare
I have been answering the call to facilitate the healing of the planet and people for as long as I can remember. I am passionate about rewilding myself and celebrating our relationship to Nature. We are Nature! I am trained in numerous healing arts with a special focus on Ayurveda, Herbalism, Trauma Informed Yoga and Starhawks Earth Activist Training Permaculture Designer Certification. In my extensive training over the last 20 plus years, I have come to the realization the illusion of separation from Nature and each other is the root cause of all of the trauma in the world. As a healer, I have come to recognize that the foundation of healing is in our community gardens and around our tables. Gathering people together outside in a co-creative gardening environment is the most healing modality that I know of! I am so honored and excited to be in the BCLFN community and to serve Butte County as your Community Garden Spaces Coordinator.
Kari Maggiano ~ GROWN project manager
I was raised in the organic garden of my parents home in the Midwest, it’s where my love for plants began. I’m passionate about educating people about organic, regenerative growing - especially in small scale capacities like school & home gardens. Creating accessibility and empowerment around growing healthy, nutritious food is one of my commitments to this Earth. I was drawn to Butte County Local Food Network for this reason & am thrilled to be the GROWN Project Educator.
Eric McAnlis ~ Pre school gardener
Gardening has always been a passion of mine and it is exciting to get to work at various gardens in the area. My main teaching background is music and I was also part of a large after school chess program in Southern California for several years. I am excited to get to teach outside among nature and incorporate my teaching experience in a new setting. I believe people in general benefit from spending time in a garden and taking a break from modern technology. It is also beneficial for people to have a direct connection to how food is grown and understand that they can grow their own food which has a multitude of benefits.
Hailey Dodge
I love to see the support and inspiration for gardening in our Butte community. I am honored to be part of the BCLFN conversation about how to integrate growing your own food into everyday life. Currently, I’m working with the GROWN team to bring garden education to K-12. This job does not feel like work because I feel very passionate about the mission. Let’s get in the garden!
