Ten Rivers Food Web Records, 1996-2017

Series 1 documents the organization, administration, and governance of the Ten Rivers Food Web and consists of materials produced by and for the organization's board. The records include agendas and minutes, board binders, board member agreements, chapter and board policies, an organizational handbook, staff reports, and strategic plans. This series includes Board materials assembled by founder and long-time board member, Harry MacCormack. Series 1 includes both analog and born-digital materials. The born-digital materials includes records assembled and created by Xan Augerot, Joan Gross, and the Board Secretary that are arranged in 3 sub-series.

Series 2 consists of extensive documentation created and assembled by the Ten Rivers Food Web in order to organize, coordinate, promote, and administer events and programs of the organization. The primary focus of the events was outreach to the community -- to educate and inform, provide a locally-sourced meal, raise funds, encourage cooking, and gather information on needs and issues regarding food in local communities. Events were held throughout Benton, Lincoln, and Linn Counties in Corvallis, Albany, Lebanon, and Newport as well as Yachats, Sweet Home, Alsea, Siletz, Scio, Brownsville, Philomath, and Monroe . Some events were held in multiple locations. Events represented in this series include: Seed to Supper; FEAST: Food, Education, Agricultural Solutions Together; Farm to Fork; Cooking Matters; Chef's Show Off; and Terra Madre.. Materials pertaining to community gardening events, film showings, food security and hunger educational sessions, farming and rural resources, generational land transfer, and local food resources are included. Substantive documentation of the establishment of the OSU Food Pantry is part of this series. The series includes meeting notes, correspondence, events plans and agendas, research materials and notes, handouts and publicity, financial information, surveys, presentations, and reports.

Series 2 includes 1193 born-digital files (3.6 Gbytes) of which 886 are digital images (described as Sub-Series 2), primarily depicting Ten Rivers Food Web events. Born digital documents in the series pertain to the Food Systems Coalition, the OSU Food Pantry, and events sponsored by Ten Rivers Food Web. Series 2 also includes 5 born-digital videos of special events which are described as Sub-Series 1 and are available to view online.

Series 3 documents the Community Food Land Trust (CFLT) program created by Ten Rivers Food Web. The mission of this program was to acquire and hold land in a public benefit land trust to grow food in perpetuity. This would provide new farmers with affordable access to food production land and allow the local community to directly support its food growers. Through the work of its Land Access Committee, materials from the Oregon Community Food Systems Network are also part of this series. The series includes correspondence, notes, and directly-related reference material.

Series 4 consists of materials created by the Ten Rivers Food Web to support the Benton County Food Freedom campaign in Benton County, Oregon, in support of ballot measure 2-89 "Local Food System Ordinance" in the May 2015 election. Measure 2-89 asked: "Should voters enact an ordinance prohibiting cultivation of genetically engineered organisms and creating rights relating to food production?" The measure, which was defeated in the May 2015 election, would have prohibited corporations or government from planting transgenetic seed in the county. Benton County Food Freedom argued that genetically modified organisms could cross-pollinate and reduce people's ability to save, replant, and adapt open pollinated seeds free from contamination. The measure attempted to eliminate personal liability to any corporation claiming seed patent or ownership rights, or commercial infringement resulting from inadvertent infection of agricultural crops by genetically engineered organisms or other patented traits. The materials in this series reflect outreach, research, and positions to support this measure as well as related outreach and events Ten Rivers Food Web was involved with at the time. The series also includes born-digital sound recordings of a hearing pertaining to the measure at the Benton County Courthouse in February 2013 (13 files; 43.1 Mbytes).

Series 5 documents the That's My Farmer (TMF) program of the Ten Rivers Food Web. The program aimed to connect community members with local farmers and encourage purchasing of local food through incentives and educational opportunities, including SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), farmers' market tours, and Veggies Rx (Fruit and Vegetable Prescription Program). A substantial portion of this series documents Ten Rivers Food Web's involvement in assisting SNAP recipients buy food from their local farmers' markets and fundraising to provide incentive matching funds. The series includes surveys and questionnaires capturing information about how many SNAP recipients visited the farmers' markets, how much SNAP credit they spent, if they are interested in farmers' markets, and if farmers' markets are accessible to them. The Fruit and Vegetable Prescription Program (Veggies Rx) aimed to address barriers to healthy eating and promoted a sustained consumption of local fruits and vegetables. In addition to surveys and questionnaires, the series includes handouts, informational materials, program binders, reports, and agendas.

Series 6 consists of documentation of applications submitted by the Ten Rivers Food Web for grant funding and grants received. The bulk of the materials in this series reflect successful grant applications. Organizations that provided grants to the Ten Rivers Food Web include the Spirit Mountain Community Fund, Meyer Memorial Trust, Benton County Foundation, Oregon Community Foundation, and ConAgra Food Foundation. Ten Rivers Food Web also received an Oregon Medicare Rural Hospital flex grant and a Rural Business Enterprise grant. The series also includes educational materials pertaining to the process for seeking and applying for grant funding.

Series 7 consists of publications and reference materials acquired and assembled, but not created, by the Ten Rivers Food Web. Many of the resources in this series were created by affiliated organizations and collaborators of the Ten Rivers Food Web. Topics represented in this series include: WIC (Women, Infants and Children) nutrition programs, SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), farming and ranching, agricultural census data, hunger in Oregon, cookbooks, community food assessment, household economic security, and farm to school programs. Other organizations represented in this series include Fresh Approach, a non-profit that published supporting materials for the Veggie Rx program; the Community Food Security Coalition; and Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon.

Series 8 consists of electronic records created and assembled by Ten Rivers Food Web Executive Directors and staff and is arranged in 4 sub-series -- one for each of those individuals. The bulk of the digital files are *.doc; *.xsl, or *.pdf format; the series also includes digital photographs. The records were created and assembled by Chloe Rico, Kate Dolkas, Cassie Peters, and Jen Christion Myers. The digital files were captured from staff personal computers in April 2016 and saved onto an external hard drive. These electronic records have been minimally processed and the original arrangement (by individual staff computer and thereunder in high-level root folders) has been retained. The folder structure, especially of the Google Drive portions of each sub-series, is substantially the same for all the sub-series. There is certainly extensive duplication of files between sub-series as well as with-in some sub-series. The total quantity of electronic records in this series is 27,771 files (22.5 Gbytes).

The records document the administration and leadership of the organization, including Board minutes, annual reports, financial records, and personnel; programs and activities of the organization, including That's My Farmer, Fill Your Pantry, Veggies Rx, and Roots to Rivers; and materials documenting local and community endeavours regarding food.

This series likely includes born-digital forms of printed records that are part of other series in this collection.