A very special thank you to all of those that participated in this year’s 2024 South Dakota Local Foods Conference! It is our hope you had a great time cultivating community connections through various discussions, workshops and keynotes centered around the importance of supporting local foods systems and producers!
The Local Foods Conference celebrates all aspects of the local food system and our goal is to have learning experiences available for everyone, from growers to processors, retailers, culinary professionals, small business owners, researchers, educators, community organizers, students, and youth.
Our conference planning committee works year round to put on this locally sourced grassroots event. Please share your feedback with our conference planning team to better the user experience for future guests.
Please share your experience with us by filling out this short evaluation survey.
SDSU Registration Crew!The Pioneer RoomThe Journey Museum ArtAttendeesAttendeesSARE PanelAttendeesPumpkins supplied by Garden of Weedin’ FarmAttendeesTable DecorGeb, our guide for this year’s event! SDSU Horticulture TableJenny Behlings Flower Center PieceBreadroot TableSARE TableAttendeesBreakfastNell’s Gourmet BreakfastBreakfastTable Decor Drawn by 2nd GradersAttendeesAlan Carter, Blackhills MushroomsAttendees Farm To School Farm To School Farm To School Delicious BreakfastDelicious BreakfastDelicious BreakfastMama’s Batch GranolaUSDA NRCS TableDakota Food Fresh TableTable Decor Drawn by 2nd GradersKeynote: Mariah GladstoneKeynote: Mariah GladstoneAttendeesKeynote: Mariah GladstoneKeynote: Mariah GladstoneKeynote: Mariah GladstoneBear Butte Gardens AggregationGeb and his new pet!Listening Session with Blake PulseListening Session with Blake PulseAttendees Dakota Rx Program with Geb and Jared.Pupmkin WorkshopPupmkin WorkshopPupmkin WorkshopPupmkin WorkshopPupmkin WorkshopPupmkin WorkshopPupmkin WorkshopPupmkin WorkshopPupmkin WorkshopPupmkin WorkshopPupmkin WorkshopPupmkin WorkshopPupmkin WorkshopPupmkin WorkshopOur Pumpkin Winner! Pupmkin WorkshopPupmkin WorkshopPupmkin WorkshopPumpkin Winner AnnouncementFirst, second and third place! First, second and third place! First, second and third place!
What To Expect:Celebrity Chef Justin Warner will give a fun yet organized overview of what goes into making a Food Network show and highlight the local and sustainable approaches to food sourcing that is used on set.
Justin Warner was raised in Hagerstown, Maryland and developed a curiosity for cuisine at a young age. He moved to Colorado to work in a sushi restaurant where he would meet his future wife and business partner, Brooke, who hailed from South Dakota. Along the way he became recognized by Michelin, the New York Times, and many other publications. He won season 8 of Food Network Star and is currently the culinary ambassador on Food Network’s #1 show, Tournament of Champions. Justin and his wife own and operate Bokujo Ramen and bb’s Natural in Rapid City, SD.
What to expect: Locally harvested, pre-contact foods are a testament to the resilience of Native lifestyles and should be part of our modern kitchens. Mariah will discuss how to prepare nutritious meals using readily available and affordable foods in new and easy ways. Her presentation will also examine traditional Indigenous foodways, the impact of colonization on our diets, and the health and cultural benefits of reconnecting to our traditional foods.
Mariah Gladstone, Piikuni (Blackfeet) and Tsalagi (Cherokee), grew up in Northwest Montana on and near the Blackfeet Reservation. She graduated from Columbia University with a degree in Environmental Engineering and returned home where she began her work on food advocacy. She developed Indigikitchen, an online cooking platform, to revitalize and re-imagine Native foods. She then earned a Master’s degree at SUNY-ESF in the Center for Native Peoples and the Environment. Mariah has been recognized as a Luce Indigenous Knowledge Fellow. She has shared the importance of reconnecting to traditional foods at events throughout North America and abroad, as well as through appearances on the Today Show, CBC, and more.
Friday, November 8th, 2024 – 12:45-2:15pm MT – The Joe Rovere | Minnilusa Pioneer Room
For thousands of years, Indigenous people have hunted, fished, farmed and foraged for food on this continent. Mariah practices many of those traditions today and teaches others how to incorporate indigenous foods into their contemporary diets. She will bring a variety of plants she has grown and foraged that have traditionally been used to make tea, such as cedar, yarrow and mint. She will make some teas for participants to sample, then work with them to create their own personalized teas to take home. Throughout this hands-on workshop, Mariah will also discuss traditional Native foodways, changes that took place with colonization, and what is happening with the Indigenous Food Movement today.
