We Learn What We Eat: Putting Local Food on the Table and in the Curriculum

This article discusses the importance of preserving Knox County, Ohio's rural character through creating an alternative local market for area food products, which benefits the farmers that have lived and worked in the area for generations. Working collaboratively with area agricultural, business, and civic groups, the Kenyon Rural Life Center began a series of efforts to develop the market for local foods. A guide to local food sources included information on seasonal availability, the reasons for buying local, and a history of area agriculture. Additionally, Kenyon students and faculty members produced a variety of projects to raise public consciousness of the significance of our food choices. Active involvement in a major public project teaches civic engagement in ways that go far beyond service learning, to fulfill the liberal arts education goal of a holistic education by connecting the university to the needs and interests of the community.