Food Systems Thinker

08/28/2026

One of my favorite things about the State Fair is learning about and enjoying local food.

At The Great New York State Fair, the Horticulture Building is definitely worth a stop, especially if you love maple. Featuring here maple milkshakes, maple donuts, maple cotton candy… and the cutest maple leaf! 🍁

It’s fun to see a crop that feels so quintessentially New York turned into so many different treats and to be reminded that the food we enjoy at the fair often starts with farmers and producers right here in our state.

So if you’re going to the fair, give yourself a little extra time in the Horticulture Building.

08/27/2026

⭐️ Youth Leadership Opportunity in New York State

🌟 Ready to grow your leadership skills, meet other teens, and make memories? Join us at STAR 2026!

*STAR (State Teen Action Retreat)* brings youth ages 13–19 from across New York together for an exciting weekend of leadership, hands-on workshops, roundtables, community service, a keynote speaker, dinner & dance, and more!

➡️ Contact your county 4-H educator to register before September 7, 2026.
Visit: https://www.nys4-h.org/star ⬅️

📅 September 18–20, 2026
📍 Camp Woodland | Constantia, NY
💰 $175 per youth or chaperone — includes lodging, meals, & activities

08/17/2026

Eligibility: Applications may only be submitted by the nineteen 1890 Land-grant Institutions, including Tuskegee University.

https://www.nifa.usda.gov/grants/funding-opportunities/scholarships-students-1890-institutions-1890-scholarships

08/14/2026

Do you work with municipal leaders interested in community development, urban agriculture, sustainability, infrastructure, or food systems? Please consider sharing this opportunity with them.

The National League of Cities will host an informational webinar about the Building-Integrated Agriculture (BIA) Academy, a cohort-based learning experience designed to help municipal leaders explore innovative, data-informed approaches to creating healthier, more resilient communities.

BIA Academy Information Session
📅 Tuesday, August 18, 2026
🕙 11:00 AM PT / 2:00 PM ET

https://www.nlc.org/events/nlcu-information-session-building-integrated-agriculture-bia-academy

08/14/2026

Came across this in my inbox. Check it out!

Eligibility
Applications may be submitted by: 1) Land-grant Institutions, 2) colleges & universities having significant minority enrollments & a demonstrable capacity to carry out the teaching of food & agricultural sciences, & 3) other colleges & universities having a demonstrable capacity to carry out the teaching of food & agricultural sciences. Applications also may be submitted by research foundations maintained by eligible colleges or universities.

https://www.nifa.usda.gov/grants/funding-opportunities/national-needs-graduate-postgraduate-fellowship-grants-program-funding-opportunity

08/13/2026

This was a wonderful grant that funded the Food Systems Thinker free curriculum. Great opportunities for grad students in the northeast region.

https://www.sare.org/wp-content/uploads/NortheastGraduateStudentCall.pdf

The Call for 2026 Northeast SARE Graduate Student Research Grant proposals is now available. Approximately $750,000 has been allocated to fund projects for this grant cycle. Awards of up to $30,000 are available, depending on the complexity of a project. Proposals are due no later than 4:00 p.m. EDT on September 29, 2026.
The Northeast SARE Graduate Student Grant program supports applied research projects that advance sustainable agriculture in the Northeast. These grants are designed to help graduate students develop grant writing and project management skills, while supporting research and outreach implementation, and addressing real-world challenges faced by farmers and food systems.
Projects funded through this program must demonstrate relevance to farmer needs and contribute to one or more of Northeast SARE’s legislated priorities:
1. Maintain and enhance the quality and productivity of the soil;
2. Conserve soil, water, energy, natural resources, and fish and wildlife habitat;
3. Maintain and enhance the quality of surface and ground water;
4. Protect the health and safety of persons involved in the food and farm system;
5. Promote the well-being of animals; and
6. Increase employment opportunities in agriculture.
Graduate Student Grant projects should build on existing knowledge while exploring new ideas or adaptations (innovation) that have the potential to benefit farmers and food systems. Proposals must include outreach activities that share findings beyond the research team, ensuring that results are accessible and actionable for agricultural communities.
Projects must be led by a graduate student having completed their first term (semester, trimester, quarter etc) at an accredited institution and include a faculty advisor. The work proposed should be clearly defined as part of the student’s research effort, even if connected to a larger project.

08/03/2026

Poverty-Informed Strategies encourages a systems perspective on poverty by examining the interconnected factors that influence people's lived experiences and access to resources. For professionals in nutrition, agriculture, and food systems, this understanding can strengthen community engagement, reduce stigma, and support more responsive and equitable programs and services.

I highly recommended the training organized by the Extension Foundation. Here are some upcoming opportunities:

Advancing Poverty Competency in Cooperative Extension
Register for the September 1st and 8th virtual sessions https://extension.zoom.us/meeting/register/59MjHlxpS0e0KUJWiY4yUw #/registration

IN-PERSON Poverty Informed Strategies Training Registration on October 9th in Kearney, NE https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc2qnfWSUFy31C1DXIL83K0MGNISVArB4_yg1ebenuTi_YS8w/viewform

07/25/2026

วันก่อนลุงไปเดินร้านสะดวกซื้อ แล้วเจอปีกไก่พร้อมทานแพ็กหนึ่ง
สิ่งที่สะดุดตาไม่ใช่ไก่ แต่เป็น ถุงมือพลาสติกแบบใช้ครั้งเดียว ที่แถมมาให้
กินเสร็จก็ถอดออกแล้วโยนทิ้งทันที มือไม่เลอะ อีซี่สุด ๆ
สิ่งที่ตามมาก็คือ ขยะที่เพิ่มขึ้นมาอีกหนึ่งชิ้นในเวลาอันรวดเร็ว
ถ้าถามลุงว่าจำเป็นขนาดนั้นไหม ก็อาจจะยัง แต่ขยะอ่ะ เพิ่มแน่ ๆ
ลุงเลยนึกถึงแนวคิดนึงที่เรียกว่า Convenience Economy หรือบางคนเรียกว่า Lazy Economy "เศรษฐกิจแห่งความขี้เกียจ"
พูดง่าย ๆ ก็คือ ทุกวันนี้ธุรกิจต่างแข่งขันกันทำให้เรา "ไม่ต้องทำอะไรเอง"
ไม่ต้องปอกผลไม้
ไม่ต้องหั่นผัก
ไม่ต้องล้างจาน
ไม่ต้องออกจากบ้าน
กดมือถือไม่กี่ครั้ง ของก็มาส่งถึงหน้าประตู
ชีเสิร์ฟความสะดวกสบายให้ผู้บริโภคสุด ๆ
แต่สิ่งที่ถูกส่งมาพร้อมกับความสะดวก ก็คือ ขยะพลาสติกจำนวนมหาศาล
อาหารเดลิเวอรี่มื้อเดียว อาจมีทั้งกล่อง ฝา ช้อน ส้อม หลอด ถุงน้ำจิ้ม ถุงหิ้ว และพลาสติกห่อกันหกอีกที
ของที่เรากดสั่งออนไลน์ ยังไม่วายมีขน packaging มาทั้งอำเภอ ของชิ้นนิดเดียวแต่ห่อกันกระแทก พันเทป และซองพลาสติกอีกหลายชั้น
หรือแม้แต่อาหารพร้อมทานในร้านสะดวกซื้อ ที่ช่วยประหยัดเวลา
ก็ต้องแลกกับถาดพลาสติก ฟิล์มห่อ ช้อนส้อม ซองในซอง หรืออย่างปีกไก่ที่ลุงเจอ ก็ยังแถมถุงมือพลาสติกมาให้อีกหนึ่งข้าง เพียงแค่ไม่อยากให้ลูค้าไม่เลอะมือ…
ทั้งหมดนี้ถูกใช้งานแค่ไม่กี่นาที แต่หลายชิ้นต้องใช้เวลาหลายร้อยปีกว่าจะย่อยสลาย
ปัญหาคือ ความสะดวกเหล่านี้ไม่ได้ทำให้ขยะเพิ่มขึ้นอย่างเดียว แต่ยังทำให้รีไซเคิลยากขึ้นด้วย
เรื่องนี้ไม่ได้เกิดที่ไทยแค่ที่เดียวนะ เพราะต่างประเทศ อย่างฝรั่งเศสเองแม้จะมีกฎหมายที่เข้มงวดเรื่องการลดใช้พลาสติกก็ยังเจอปัญหานี้เหมือนกัน
ในขณะที่ประเทศไทยไม่มีกฎหมายในการควบคุมผู้ผลิตเลย การที่ผู้ผลิตอยากจะป้อนความสบายให้กับผู้บริโภคเลยเป็นสร้างขยะเพิ่มขึ้นโดยไม่จำเป็นด้วยจ้า

07/14/2026

In 2018, I created "Food Systems Thinker", a free educational website to help learners explore systems thinking through the context of sustainable food systems.

Like many long-term projects, it gradually faded into the background as my work evolved. Recently, I checked the website analytics and was genuinely surprised. Since launching, the site has been used by visitors from 20 countries, with more than 17,500 page views and an average session of 18 minutes.

It was encouraging to see that the resources are still being used. A lot of people rarely know what happens to the resources they have created. We don't always see the learner who spends time working through a lesson, the educator who adapts an activity, or the student who discovers a new way of thinking. Most of that impact can be invisible.

Knowing that people are still spending time with these materials years later reminded me that educational resources can continue to provide value long after they're created. I'm incredibly grateful to everyone who has supported this project over the years. Thank you for using the lessons, sharing the website, referencing the resources, and providing feedback. Your support has helped these resources reach far beyond what I ever imagined.

It also reminded me that it's finally time to update the website. I look forward to improving the resources and continuing to make systems thinking and food systems education accessible to more learners.

Link: https://oomloom.wixsite.com/foodsystemsthinker

07/11/2026

Throwback to when I was on tomato duty—pruning plants and tying them to the trellis. 🍅🌱

Working on a farm means expecting the unexpected. A tiny worm somehow bit my tummy (what are the chances?!), and later I accidentally grabbed several perfectly camouflaged tomato hornworms. 😦

Lesson learned: hornworms are really good at hiding... until your hand finds them first. 😂

Anyone else have a “well... I wasn’t expecting THAT today” farming or gardening story?