Master of Arts in Food Studies
Program News & Events

Fridays @ the Farm - When Beans Were Bullets - War-Era Food Posters

Friday, February 17, 2012

04:30 PM - 06:00 PM
Eden Hall Campus, The Lodge, 6035 Ridge Road, Gibsonia, PA 15044-9746

The first of our Fridays @ the Farm series for 2012: What can war posters tell us about our nation's attempts to modify food consumption habits? When Beans Were Bullets and Of Course I Can! is an exhibit of posters from World War I & II focused on food and agriculture created by Cory Bernat (see below for bio). The exhibit examines the evolution of poster styles, propaganda messages, and advertising history from the two time periods. Today’s audience will be surprised by government messages encouraging home-front populations to eat locally, healthfully, and conscientiously. In addition, this exhibit asks, what happens when war posters from two time periods are viewed side-by-side? Voluntary rationing of WWI became mandatory during WWII and ‘War Gardens’ became ‘Victory Gardens.’ The posters bare witness to the advent of modern consumer culture, including the far-reaching influence of the advertising industry and the Advertising Council created during WW II. Mass communication techniques, made visible by the posters, reveal the agendas of the message senders and their assumptions about their audiences. Cory Bernat is a food historian, curator, and graphic designer living in Washington, D.C. Previously Cory has worked for the National Park Service, The San Francisco Art Institute and the CIA (guess which one). Cory’s independent project, an exhibit of food posters at the National Agricultural Library, led to her current position as a member of the “Food & Wine History Project” at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History, where she is helping to create a new food-themed exhibition due to open later this year.

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Expeditions to the Farm: Know Your Farmer

Saturday, February 25, 2012

10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Eden Hall Campus, The Lodge, 6035 Ridge Road, Gibsonia, PA 15044-9746

David King, partner of Harvest Valley Farms, will share about the benefits of joining a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) and eating seasonally; sustainable farming practices; and farm diversification strategies. David has a B.S. in Agricultural Sciences with a minor in Horticulture from Penn State University. Harvest Valley Farms is located in Valencia, Pennsylvania (20 miles north of Pittsburgh). The farm’s market base consists of three Farmers’ Markets,
Farm Market & Bakery Store, 350 member CSA, Pick- Your-Own Pumpkin Festival, Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank Farm Stand Project, and restaurant wholesale distributor. They grow 65+ varieties of vegetables on 135 acres. Some of Dave’s specialties on the farm include high tunnel production, employee management, website management, welding, and equipment maintenance. Harvest Valley Farms currently has eight high tunnels, two greenhouses, and one cold frame.

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Food in Our Neighborhoods - Bridging, Growing & Nourishing

Saturday, March 10, 2012

10:00 AM - 04:00 PM
Chatham University Shadyside Campus - Athletic & Fitness Center

A networking and educational event to foster sustainable communities around food. * Morning workshops with guest speakers from Puget Sound Food Network; Karp Associates, and more. * Breakout sessions and locally-sourced lunch * Afternoon exhibits - community foodscapes featuring cooks, chefs, community groups, businesses and more!

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Expeditions to the Farm: From Field to Barrel - Sustainable, Regionally-Sourced Beer and Whiskey

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

07:00 PM - 09:00 PM
Eden Hall Campus, The Lodge, 6035 Ridge Road, Gibsonia, PA 15044-9746

Come hear Chatham University Master of Arts in Food Studies students share about the exciting growth of and interest in specialty breweries and distilleries in the Pittsburgh region. Enjoy some delicious locally- and regionally-sourced beer and whiskey along with light refreshments.

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Friday's @ the Farm: Beyond Twenty Degrees - Can Chocolate be Sustainable This Far from the Equator?

Friday, March 30, 2012

04:00 PM - 05:30 PM
Eden Hall Campus, The Lodge, 6035 Ridge Road, Gibsonia, PA 15044-9746

Join Dr. Alice Julier, director of Chatham’s Master of Arts in Food Studies program, for a discussion about examples of sustainably-sourced and fair trade chocolate. Enjoy great chocolate treats and samples as we discuss.

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