Over the past seven years, the annual Berry Good Night dinner has aimed to connect and celebrate local and sustainable farmers, ranchers, fishermen, chefs, and vintners.
In September 2017 we debuted a new format (#BGN100) to increase interaction and engagement. After submitting responses to a brief questionnaire, 100 “idea ambassadors” were hand selected for their commitment toward fundamental change in our food system.
Over the course of 2018, we will profile a number of the participants to highlight their efforts and create greater awareness and connection within our community.
This month we focus on food and health with:
- Heather Dane, a health coach, writer and radio host, and Director of Programming at the Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation, which educates people on the benefits of a natural diet and healthy lifestyle
- Rachel Hiner, Urban farmer and Board President of the Gerson Institute, which promotes the body’s ability to heal itself with an organic, vegetarian diet
- Zen Honeycutt, founder and Executive Director of Moms Across America, a national coalition of unstoppable moms who raise awareness and share solutions to improve health and communities
- Carolyn Kates, a retired hospice nurse who established the Food, Farming and Nutrition Program, a therapeutic gardening program that introduces kids on the autism spectrum to planting, harvesting and learning about food
- Cherianne Kestner, a former teacher and Assistant Director at Olivewood Gardens, an indoor-outdoor, garden and nutrition classroom that connects students and families from diverse backgrounds to the natural environment.
Heather Dane
Heather Dane, Health Coach and Author
Tell us briefly about your work and your goals for the year.
My work includes supporting people to heal from chronic illness, autoimmune conditions, addictions, and mood disorders. I work at the DNA-level to support people in creating nutritional, supplement and lifestyle protocols to resolve symptoms. I co-authored two books with Louise Hay, Loving Yourself to Great Health, and The Bone Broth Secret. Currently, my focus is working with indigenous communities to honor their ancestral diet and ways as part of their healing.
I am director of programming at Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation in Lemon Grove, and creator of The WELL PROJECT by Price-Pottenger®. This is a three-part project for health and healing guided by science, medical, and natural health experts that is accessible to people of all incomes who seek support in natural healing strategies. Our team of professionals have expertise ranging from chronic illness, cancer, Lyme disease, gut health issues, and autoimmune diseases, to sleep disorders, addiction, and mood disorders. What makes this work unique is our mission to honor the legacy of our founding member, Dr. Weston A. Price – collaborating with indigenous communities around the world to showcase natural health and healing protocols for today’s health challenges. These programs will highlight the research behind indigenous wisdom, combined with modern science to support healing in modern times.
You can find me at www.HeatherDane.com and my Hay House Radio show, 21st Century Medicine Woman, airs Tuesdays at 12 noon Pacific Time at www.HayHouseRadio.com.
Did you make any interesting connections at BGN100?
I learned new things about the challenges that farmers have in running their business. I think this topic is really important because they are important stewards of our food and they are too often overlooked. I always enjoy this part of Michelle’s and Berry Good Night’s focus. I loved Dani Nierenberg’s Food Tank interview. I hadn’t heard of her work before and it was a great connection to make at the event because she has a lot of wisdom to share that is related to the work I’m doing with indigenous communities.
I’m also inspired by Michelle’s vision to put people together to have important discussions at Berry Good Night events. Sometimes, the best connections are those that happen unexpectedly through breaking bread together. I love that the food is healthy and that a holistic view of the food chain is represented from people in food policy to soil, seed, farm, sea, supplier and fork. You never know what connections will be made when people get together from various viewpoints like that.
Are there other ways you have successfully connected with like-minded members of the community to further your mission?
Yes. I’ve been visiting Asia to learn about their medicinal foods and I was able to connect with some chefs who could point me in the right direction at BGN100, which was an unexpected benefit.
When you’re not working, what do you enjoy doing?
Cooking and creating new healthy recipes is a passion for me – especially healthy desserts! I consider cooking a moving meditation. I also love traveling and spending time in nature.
With the new year and your interest in food as medicine, do you have any new resolutions or favorite healthy practices you’d like to share?
Here’s something easy…have a cup of tea! All cultures around the world have medicinal teas they’ve been drinking for eons. My new favorite is butterfly pea flower tea, which I learned about in Thailand when I saw a bright purple drink I thought was a junk drink, like Kool Aid. Instead, I learned the beautiful color was all-natural from the flower and supports healthy skin and hair, improves eyesight, enhances mood, reduces pain and inflammation, has anti-cancer properties, aids digestion and circulation, and is anti-aging.
This one doesn’t require much effort in the winter season, when nature wants us to rest and nourish our adrenals and kidneys. Almost any herb or spice can be used to make a healing tea. Or can be added to bone broth to make a collagen and immune system supporting elixir.
Rachel Hiner
Rachel Hiner, Gerson Institute and Entrepreneur
Tell us briefly about your work and your goals for the year.
I am an avid eater of real food, animal lover, food justice advocate, supporter of local farms and farm charities, mother of an organic baby, and an urban farmer. My husband and brother started Boochcraft a few years ago, California’s first high-alcohol content, organic Kombucha. I am also the president of the board of the Gerson Institute – an organization that educates people about nutritional therapies for disease. I was part of a team of people behind the urban agriculture ordinance that passed in San Diego which legalized chickens, bees and goats in the city – aka the chicken lady. None of that is actually my day job…I also own an endurance event company that produces local running and endurance events with a social conscious for nonprofit organizations called Sandy Feet Events. My goals are to grow my events, continue adding new events and support more local charities!
Did you make any interesting connections at BGN100?
I made so many great connections it’s hard to remember them all! My table was very social, we really got into the family style service thing 🙂 We had Eric from Muellers Mushrooms who had a lot of great mushroom info to share and Whit from Misadventure Vodka taught me all about how they use discarded bread products, even twinkies (didn’t know that was possible!) to ferment and distill into their vodka and also Carolyn Kates – enough said! [next profile] I also really enjoyed talking to all the makers about their crafts before the dinner started, especially the Queso Diego members, they are so passionate about cheese, which is also one of my passions ;).
Are there other ways you have successfully connected with like-minded members of the community to further your mission?
I attend community potlucks at Wild Willow Farm regularly, that is a great way to meet like-minded people. I also surround myself with people who know people, that is really the best way – get connected with the connectors! My favorite connector is Kate McDevitt – she is currently the District Wellness Supervisor at San Diego Unified School District – among many other things!
When you’re not working, what do you enjoy doing?
When I am not working these days most of my free time is consumed by my young son. However, I also enjoy running on the beach and eating my way around San Diego when I can get away!
With the new year and your interest in healthy food, do you have any new resolutions or favorite healthy practices you’d like to share?
My husband and I always start the year off with a cleanse of some sort. This year rather than the typical vegan juice type diet we went more for the grain free paleo bone broth type diet!
Zen Honeycutt
Zen Honeycutt, Moms Across America
Tell us briefly about your work and your goals for the year.
I am committed to transform the food industry and create a healthy America. The mission of Moms Across America is to empower millions to educate themselves about GMOs and toxins, offer GMO-free and organic solutions, and by supporting local leadership, we create healthy communities together. Our motto is Empowered Moms, Healthy Kids. I am the founding executive director of Moms Across America and I am personally committed to empowering community leaders to be global game changers. It is time for us to transform our food supply and the health of our country and the world. Together with many groups, we are doing this. Our organization now reaches hundreds of millions of people every year. I just toured 24 Japanese food executives through our grocery stores in Orange County with a plethora of organic food options, inspiring them to go organic. After speaking in China, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, Amsterdam, France, Switzerland, Maui and around the USA to thousands of mothers and supporters, I am confident that our growing food movement will not only restore health to our nations, but democracy, justice and freedom as well. We just need to work together, be honest, courageous, and stay consistent.
Did you make any interesting connections at BGN100?
I was thrilled to meet many wonderful people who are working in very specific ways to improve health and transform our food supply to a regenerative, organic agriculture system. I was inspired by the food waste initiatives, support of the underprivileged working in the food industry and having access to healthy food and delighted to hear more about sustainable farming methods, both on land and in the sea.
Are there other ways you have successfully connected with like-minded members of the community to further your mission?
Conferences, speaker series, intimate dinners with a movie screening, marching in parades and rallies have all been great opportunities to meet people who expand my understanding and support an expansion of our collective cause.
When you’re not working, what do you enjoy doing?
I love being at the beach, life drawing, dancing, traveling to new places and laughing with my three boys. I care for my 92-year old Dad and have been married to my husband Todd for nearly 19 years. We enjoy learning and being on adventures outdoors.
With the new year and your interest in healthy food, do you have any new resolutions or favorite healthy practices you’d like to share?
Yes! I am committed to being fit and strong by my 45th birthday, at the end of March. I am working out, detoxing through saunas, eating all organic and mostly plant-based, and getting monthly massages. My goal is to consistently take care of myself and create time for doing nothing but enjoying the moment. Caring for my father is teaching me that every day we have an opportunity to teach others what love is. I am grateful to be alive and to do so.
Carolyn Kates
Carolyn Kates, Food Activist
Tell us briefly about your work and your goals for the year.
I do many things! Here are a couple of the most noteworthy:
The Food, Farming and Nutrition program for the Autism Tree Project Foundation: I originally wrote this program grant for the ATPF in 2016. It was so impacting and successful that it received double funding this year. My program uses the farm as a therapeutic healing space for kids on the autism spectrum. It consists of six workshops at Wild Willow Farm. Half of the sessions consist of digging in the dirt, planting, picking and processing produce. The other half is outdoors, helping the kids see their food in a new sensory way – introducing them to the veggies that they planted and picked. I now have over 50 kids who are eating kale, chard and beets, which is an enormous feat since they usually only eat white food. This year I will also be doing a workshop for young adults (18-30) at Coral Tree Farm. This workshop will include planting, picking and processing tea herbs, which will be blended into tea flavors. The participants will also create a brand around their tea blends that will be taken to market and sold. This workshop will focus on entrepreneurship as well as allowing the farm to heal them through their planting.
I also am a brand ambassador for several new high-end cannabis products. My is goal is to promote the growth of a responsible and legitimate cannabis industry in California and throughout the United States.
Did you make any interesting connections at BGN100?
I knew most of them already, but always good to see old friends and like-minded people.
Are there other ways you have successfully connected with like-minded members of the community to further your mission?
I invite everyone I knew to visit one of my farm workshops. Maybe you can join us!
When you’re not working, what do you enjoy doing?
Cooking, walking, learning, loving, being.
With the new year and your interest in healthy food, do you have any new resolutions or favorite healthy practices you’d like to share?
Nope, I never make resolutions. I only do!
Cherianne Kestner
Cherianne Kestner, Olivewood Gardens Educator
Tell us briefly about your work and your goals for the year.
I am the Interim Assistant Director at Olivewood Gardens and Learning Center in National City. Our goal is to build healthy families and a healthy environment through garden-based nutrition education programs for children, adults, and families. I am a former Chicago Public Schools teacher, and I now work in non-profit education and am passionate about teaching people about where their food comes from in order to change behaviors and inspire people to lead healthier, happier lives.
Did you make any interesting connections at BGN100?
Yes, I did! I enjoyed the fact that we had the chance to talk to a variety of different people from different facets of the work we do.
Are there other ways you have successfully connected with like-minded members of the community to further your mission?
I typically connect through collaboratives and educational opportunities.
When you’re not working, what do you enjoy doing?
I especially enjoy fitness activities, hiking, traveling, and cooking.
With the new year and your interest in healthy food, do you have any new resolutions or favorite healthy practices you’d like to share?
I don’t have any new year resolutions, but I am planning to travel throughout Europe this year, so I expect to be taking lots of classes learning regional cuisines.
