Sharing Stories and Building Community in the Local Food System

In this event, we’ll explore the Wisconsin Science Festival theme of agriculture by examining the impact of telling the story of our food systems.  

We’re told that sharing stories helps connect us, but is there any science behind that? In fact, there is! In honor of the Wisconsin Science Festival and its focus on agriculture this year, we’ll introduce you to Jules Reynolds. Jules’ 2024 dissertation is the result of a 4-year collaboration with producers and Brix Cider, known as the Brix Project, exploring how telling the stories of local food producers impacts food systems….. Several Savor the River Valley members participated in the project. They’ll join us, too, to share their thoughts and stories. 

Presenter: Jules Reynolds recently graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a joint PhD in Geography and Environmental Studies. Her community-based dissertation research built on a decade of experience working with farming communities and local food systems across the country and internationally. She is particularly interested in how community-university collaborations can better serve place-based change and food system transformation, and looks forward to continuing this work in Wisconsin in the future. In her spare time, Jules enjoys biking Wisconsin’s trail systems, reading, watercolors, and adventuring with her dog Blueberry.