The BCCE was packed this evening with eager supporters of Chris Hartman, both in his role as Director of Social and Environmental Sustainability at Harley, and in his role as President and Founder of Headwater Food Hub (parent company to the Good Food Collective).

As the featured speaker in the eighth Commons Speaker Series presentation, Chris shared reflections on the passions he is pursuing in his life, offered insights into his personal journey which led him to the current convergence of food and sustainability and entrepreneurship, and how his training as an educator has equipped him to be one of the movers and shakers in the food world in and around Rochester. Active for the past 10 years in the Greater Rochester region, Hartman’s work in the community has opened the door for new educational experiences for youth, established new business models for our community, and created ways to help the Rochester area move toward a more sustainable future. He offered examples of work he has immersed himself in with students and with local farmers, and challenged the audience to consider some big questions about how we can Grow Change in our approach and practices with food.

At the end of his presentation (which ranged from early inroads at Harley to his business, Headwater Food Hub, being recently certified as a B corporation), Chris answered questions about GMOs, community composting, and the price of food vs. the cost of food. Even after the presentation concluded, the members of the audience lingered to connect with each other, ask follow up questions, and to speak enthusiastically about the future of food and farming in the Rochester area.