The books that will be discussed. Submitted photo

FARMINGTON —The Greater Franklin Food Council will be hosting a Food and Farming Winter Book Club series starting in February. Three book selections will be offered that weave food system issues into other topics such as climate change, Indigenous wisdom, genetically modified plants, sustainable living, and more. Local community members can sign up to read and discuss one, two, or all three book selections being offered.

The first book selection will be Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer and the book club will be facilitated by Malia Demers and Zak Kendall. The book club dates for this selection will be February 15, March 1, and March 15 from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. The second book club selection will be Diet for a Hot Planet by Anna Lappe and will be facilitated by Mark Pires. Book club meeting times and dates will be determined by participants who sign up with an anticipated start date of mid-February. The third book club selection will be All Over Creation by Ruth Ozeki and facilitated by Gretchen Legler and a cohort of UMF students. This book group has an anticipated start date of mid-March and dates and times will be determined by participants. Book club groups will meet via Zoom.

The Greater Franklin Food Council is excited to put together these community events and get people talking about food system ideas and how our food system intersects with other aspects of culture and community.

Legler offers that her novel selection by award-winning writer Ruth Ozecki explores the story of a potato farmer/seed saver and a wacky group of young activists as they work to change (in their different ways) the food and farm system as we know it. With Braiding Sweetgrass, facilitator Malia Demers “looks forward to re-reading alongside community members and holding space for brave and vulnerable discussions about how our own relationships to earth have been fragmented or healed and the importance of listening to Indigenous leadership.”

To sign up for the book club groups, visit www.greaterfranklinfoodcouncil.org. Books can be purchased locally through Devaney, Doak, and Garrett Booksellers via their website or by calling the store at 778-3454.