June 30 . 6:30-8:30pm
Making the Business Case for a New England Food Vision
Presented by Food Solutions New England
@ SBN Boardroom
July 14
Garden Mixology
featuring Rumson's Rum, Charlton Becker Catering & Powell & Mahoney Mixers
@ Symphony Road Garden
August 4
Garden Mixology
featuring Privateer, Pamangan Filipino cuisine & Powell & Mahoney Mixers
@ Northampton St Garden
September 18
Boston Local Food Festival
@ Rose F Kennedy Greenway
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Dear Members and Friends,
May and June have been exciting months for SBN! Our Twenty-Seventh Sustainability Leadership Summit was the most powerful and impactful summit SBN has had in the twenty-first century. Our three keynote speakers were inspiring as they challenged us to take our movement to the next level of impact. This year's format enabled Summit participants to dive deep into the content of the keynote presentations and as a result the participants left the day with renewed vigor and clarity on how we can do a better job of changing our world.
To be more specific, Kimber Lanning guided a broad group of Local First activists through two sessions on how specifically SBN can grow the Massachusetts Local First Movement and take our work to new levels. Euneika Rogers-Sipp worked with local food leaders to expand the number of local crops grown in New England that serve the particular food tastes of immigrant communities. And John Abrams spoke with attendees on what it means to run an employee owned business.
Our Fifth Hyper-Local BrewFest was another success. A lively and vibrant group of folks enjoyed a wide variety of local brews accented with local New England ingredients and also dined on some tasty local food treats.
Our staff, interns and allies are now in the middle of preparing for the Seventh Annual Boston Local Food Festival which will once again be on the Greenway in Boston! This SBN event has become a popular tradition in Boston and please mark September 18 on your calendar so you won't miss the fun and delightful day that helps grow the local food economy.
We hope you can find some time to attend one of our upcoming B2B and networking events that will spice up your summer and support all of us in our continued evolving knowledge base that supports us in growing our businesses and our local economy.
With Gratitude,
Laury Hammel
Executive Director
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Top Left - Laury Hammel, Executive Director of SBN welcomes attendees Top - John Abrams of South Mountain Company, Middle - Euneika Rogers-Sipp of SURREF, Bottom - Kimber Lanning of Local First Arizona and Laury Hammel of SBN
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27th Sustainability Leadership Summit Unites Leaders in the Local and Sustainable Business Movement!
On Saturday, May 21, SBN hosted the 27th Annual Sustainability Leadership Summit at Lesley University in Cambridge. Themed 'People, Planet, and Profit: a Competitive Advantage, the Summit attracted a diverse group of small business and nonprofit leaders who are committed to putting local businesses first and engaging in sustainable business practices.
The Summit featured three keynote speakers from a variety of backgrounds beginning with John Abrams, the founder and CEO of South Mountain Company and author of 'Companies We Keep.' John shared about employee ownership and how it contributes to employee engagement. Euneika Rogers-Sipp is the founder of Sustainable Rural Regenerative Enterprises for Families. She shared her experience with working in the Black Belt region and improving economic opportunity for families. Lastly, Kimber Lanning, founder and executive director of Local First Arizona shared about the importance supporting local businesses and the city that you live in.
Breakout sessions allowed attendees to explore those topics deeper in a small group setting before coming back together to discuss what had been learned. Attendees where able to enjoy lunch in the beautiful May sunshine while building new relationships and the day concluded with workshops to plan the next steps in the Massachusetts Local First Movement and the New England Local Food Movement.
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Calling all Local Food Businesses, Register for the
7th Annual
Boston Local Food Festival!
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The Sustainable Business Network of Massachusetts is excited to announce the
7th Annual Boston Local Food Festival! On Sunday, September 18, 2016, the Festival will return to the Rose F Kennedy Greenway in downtown Boston and transform the park into the nation's largest local and sustainable food hub!
(RSVP not required but you will receive an e-mail reminder so you don't miss out!)
The Boston Local Food Festival is a free outdoor festival that showcases farmers, local restaurants, food trucks, specialty food producers, fisher folks, and organizations focusing on healthy food and fitness from New England. The Festival also features lively chef & DIY demos, a seafood throwdown competition, diverse music and performances, family fun zone and more. In 2015, the Festival attracted over 140 vendors and 50,000 attendees.
Festival goers learn about the benefits of sustainably grown and produced food, shop the market, eat delicious local food, participate in fun, educational activities and exhibits, engage with top local chefs and enjoy local music. Themed "Healthy Local Food for All", the Festival connects Massachusetts and New England eaters of all backgrounds with the abundance of fresh, nutritious local food choices available close to home.
The Festival is a zero-waste event, meaning we divert over 90% of our waste each year and we offset 100% of our energy use! All perishable items sold are made from locally sourced products. Best of all, we bring this annual event to the community free of charge. So grab your reusable water bottles and bags and enjoy New England's largest one day farmers market, while celebrating "Healthy Local Food for All"
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Hyper-Local Craft Brewfest brings together fans of local
brews and food!
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SBN hosted the 5th Annual Hyper-Local Craft Brewfest on Friday, June 10, and Saturday, June 11 at Arts at the Armory in Somerville. Attendees were introduced to dozens of local brews, craft beverages and local food.
Hyper-Local Craft Brewfest is an annual fundraiser for SBN that highlights and promotes local brewers of beer, newly established breweries, cider and mead, artisan beverage makers, and local food vendors. The event once again showed its uniqueness as it showcased not only local beverage producers but beverages that use local ingredients. Brewers including SBN Member Cambridge Brewing Company, Aeronaut, and others, created special blends just to highlight local ingredients at Hyper-Local Craft Brewfest. SBN Members Koy, Jennifer Lee's Gourmet Bakery, DRINKMaple and Q's Nuts also joined the fun!
Thanks to all that attended and showed their support for local brews and we look forward to seeing you back at the Armory next June!
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 Thursday, June 30 . 6:30-8:30pm
@ SBN Boardroom
RSVP
Food Solutions New England Presents:
Making the Business Case for A New England Food Vision: Creating Conditions that Support Diverse Food-related Enterprises
Profitable food-related businesses are integral to the New England Food Vision. The Vision describes a future in which at least 50% of the food consumed in our region is grown, raised, caught, and harvested in the region by 2060 ("50 by 60"); sustainable farming and fishing provide healthy food for all; and racial equity and food justice promote dignity and quality of life in thriving communities across New England. A resilient and expanding network of diverse enterprises, operating at different scales across the food system, will be key to achieving this Vision.
Members of the Food Solutions New England network's Core Team will lead an interactive discussion with local business leaders. We will learn from businesses who are already contributing to the "50 by 60" Vision as well as those who are considering how they can get involved. We will explore critical questions including: What do businesses need to be successful in the emerging New England food system? What kinds of state, local, and federal policies would make success for existing and new enterprises most likely and attract more entrepreneurs and resources? How can the Food Solutions New England network join forces with the Sustainable Business Network and other business and economic development networks to develop shared goals and strategies for collaboration?
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Garden Mixology: Learn to Craft Cocktails Using Local Ingredients this Summer!
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SBN and the
Trustees hosted the first Garden Mixology Session on Friday, May 13 at St Rose Street Garden in JP! Attendees enjoyed seeing what was growing in the garden, learning how to make unique cocktails with
Astraluna Brands and tasting local food from
OurCookQuest.
Space is limited to 25 participants so reserve your spot now!
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Welcome to the Newest Members of our Growing Network!
2 Friends Farm
was started by two people with a passion for health, healthy eating and a healthier lifestyle. They had an idea and it was simply to bring organic food to their town and surrounding communities. Today, you'll find their super high-quality micro-greens and wheatgrass in select grocery stores, finer restaurants and farmers' market region wide.
Bevi's mission is to turn back the hands of time (sort of) and eliminate waste from the production, shipping, and disposing of bottled beverages. They envision a future where a smarter platform (powered by the municipal water supply) transforms how beverages are delivered. It is an ambitious goal but they are on it!
Boston Area Gleaners
is a nonprofit dedicated to rescuing surplus farm crops for people in need. They distribute high quality produce to food pantries and meal programs by working closely with local farmers, providing volunteer labor to harvest what would otherwise be plowed under. Their goal is to create a reliable supply chain of surplus produce from local farms to people in need.
FreshBox Farms
can grow over 30 different types of plants. They currently grow leafy greens such as heirloom lettuces, arugula, spinach, and herbs. Using controlled environment hydroponics and clean-environment growing containers, FreshBox Farms works to create perfect produce. Check them out to see how they're changing the way that we grow!
Habitus Incorporated
is a for benefit corporation that provides negotiation and communications skills based training to clients in a variety of industries. They are committed to delivering these skills in conjunction with cutting edge developments from the fields of neuroscience, behavioral economics and social psychology. They teach in a way so that skills acquired in trainings will become long lasting habits that result in enduring personal and organizational change.
Relay Power
believes that you shouldn't need to have a large roof facing the sun to benefit from  solar. With community solar, they're helping democratize solar energy by helping more people access renewable ener
gy than ever before. Relay Power is all about teamwork and bringing the 'community' to community solar by engaging towns, local retail outlets, nonprofit organizations and networks of sustainable businesses to help spread the word about community solar. They have joined with like-minded organizations and companies to help further mass adoption of local, clean energy options.
Samosa Man
became a huge success after starting on a summer street back in 2001. Today, they remain true to the original values of their business, with ethical trading and natural organic products. Their aim continues to be the creation of the whole meal - products that give a taste experience like no other. They believe every new creation has to be the best of its kind!
 Taza Chocolate makes stone ground chocolate. Cacao is so complex in flavor that they want to let it should loud and proud. That is why Taza does less to bring you more. They stone grind organic cacao beans into perfectly unrefined, minimally processed chocolate with bold flavor and texture, unlike anything you have ever tasted. We're happy to have Taza Chocolate right in Somerville, stop by their shop for a tour, or just pick up a chocolate bar.
Urban Farming Institute
is a social innovation organization founded in 2012 to support the development of urban farming in Boston and other urban areas in Massachusetts. Building a healthier, more locally based food system is at the heart of UFI's mission. As the momentum around greening
cities, increasing health outcomes, and developing more sustainable solutions for urban economic development grows, urban farming is quickly emerging into a viable industry solution.
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Renewing Members
Fresh Pond Capital
works with clients to bring their investments into alignment with their values. They believe that by applying sound financial judgment and ethical values, they can help you reach your financial goals while having a positive impact on society. And, just as important, they believe that you can use your resources to create needed social change.
Land Escapes Design
is where passion for the natural world and a dream collide forming unique, environmentally friendly, low-maintenance landscape designs and custom cutting edge floral inspirations. Land Escapes specializes in landscape design, water features, rain harvesting systems and rain gardens, living wall and living roof systems, as well as complete event design for all occasions and seasonal decorating. Their creative team will work with you to create the design you envision for your backyard oasis or your dream wedding!
The Longfellow Clubs
strives to build a world where everyone's basic needs are met, and people experience love, happiness, and satisfaction. They hope to create a model organization, through the development of successful health and recreation businesses that works toward the fulfillment of their global vision. The Longfellow Clubs is the birthplace of the Sustainable Business Network and they have been one of SBN's biggest supporters ever since!
Natural Food Exchange
opened 40 years ago with the vision of helping people improve their lives through better nutrition. The store is independently owned and operated and located in Reading, MA. Healthy, organic and gluten-free foods fill their store, and they offer a large variety of chemical-free body care, vitamins, herbal supplements, home, homeopathic products and resources.
Real Pickles
is committed to promoting human and ecological health by providing people with delicious, nourishing food and by working toward a regional, organic food system. They aim to produce the highest quality, traditional pickled foods available, using natural fermentation. They only buy vegetables from Northeast family farms and sell products only in the Northeast with 100% organic ingredients.
Westcott Mercantile
'Goods and Good Company,' is a place where local and regional artisans can showcase their new wares alongside reclaimed and recycled retro and vintage goods. The store's mascot, Mr. Westcott, beckons you to come in, browse and enjoy the goods and good company. Stop by and peruse their shelves, walls and windows full of wonders and surprises. You'll be inspired with new ideas for every occasion: for every holiday, for each special birthday or simply for something to do on a rainy day.
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June is Dairy Month!
Use this month to make buying local dairy a habit! Currently, 20% of milk consumed statewide is from Massachusetts and there's plenty of room for more!
Supporting local dairy farms benefits our local food economy by creating jobs, decreasing 'food miles' and creating a more sustainable local food system.
Not sure where to go to for local dairy? Start with SBN Members! Harvest Coop and Pemberton Farms are great places to find Massachusetts dairy!
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CommonBound 2016 is July 8-10!
 The old order is bursting at its seams and more people than ever are asking what comes next, demanding solutions once considered politically impossible. CommonBound 2016, happening July 8-10 in Buffalo, NY, will bring together people with powerful visions for the future. The conference will showcase the work of a cross-section of community leaders, thinkers, and practitioners from around the world, including the New Economy Coalition's 140-plus member organizations from throughout the US and Canada. Participants will share strategies and stories, build relationships, highlight achievements, and chart a shared path toward a society that puts people and planet first.
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SBN Member, Habitus Incorporated, hosts Two Dynamic Events!
Food for Thought - Brain Storming Done Right!
When: June 28
Time: 12pm-1pm
Cost: Free!
Come to a food for thought run by Lauren Valle from NU Ecological Engineering and Design and Justin Wright from Habitus Incorporated on how to move group decision making from painful to generative and efficient. At its best, working on a team involves creative thinking and shared decision making. Yet both can get short circuited by how we invite and share ideas. Most of us have experienced teams that stifled creativity, fell into herd mentality, consistently sparked conflicts over next steps and ultimately led to personal isolation.
This food for thought is intended to bring people together to share their experiences of what gets in the way of effective and creative work on teams (whether it be internal or with clients) and then how to overcome these challenges. Lauren and Justin will share a process for creative idea generation drawn from negotiation theory to allow team dynamics to be creative, fun, inclusive and flow in a way that produces generative thinking leading to superior results. We will focus the second half of the conversation on real life sticking points so please come to the food for thought with a particular scenario you are facing where you have to make a decision on a team.
What just Happened There? Dealing Effectively with Tough Interpersonal Dynamics.
When: July 12
Time: 9am-3pm
Struggling with tough interpersonal dynamics on your team? Come to this workshop for non-profit and social justice leaders and change the way you manage communication.
If you have ever left an important meeting feeling frustrated and asking yourself, "What just happened there?" you are not alone. Face to face communication is one of the most challenging things leaders deal with every day in organizations. There is so much that can get in the way of understanding despite the words spoken and oceans of good intent. If you are interested in learning how to decipher
what just happened
there consider joining us on July 12 for a one day workshop that will forever change the way you understand interpersonal communication.
You will learn how to read the room using Kantor's model of interpersonal communicate called Structural Dynamics. This model allows you to deconstruct group interactions by identifying observable behaviors and what to do about them. Included in the workshop you will be sent a link prior to the day to take the Baseline Instrument to understand your own interpersonal style. We will also look at the scenarios you are struggling most with and help you see the structure behind them and in doing so learn how to change the nature of the conversations you are having so that the difficult and frustrating become productive and relationship building.
Click on their names to see the bios of the workshop facilitators:
Thanks to generous sponsorship from Habitus, Active Neutrals, Impact Hub and CIC, this course is being offered at 50% off the standard price.
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Green Tip of the Month:
Shop at a Farmers Market or try a CSA this Summer!
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Massachusetts is lucky to have a wealth of Farmers Market and CSA options - as shown below in the infograph by
Sustainable America.
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Sustainable Business Network of Massachusetts
