Join us for at the Sun Prairie Public Library to learn more about our local food system and sustainable farming techniques.
From healthy soil to healthy communities, local food systems depend on sustainable growing practices and strong community partnerships. Have you ever wondered how food pantries get their food, or how compost is used to improve soil quality?
We are hosting a community event at Sun Prairie Public Library focused on sustainable farming techniques, benefits of compost, and strategies for distributing local food to underserved communities. Through a series of mini presentations from local partners and community leaders, attendees will learn how growing and distribution practices can strengthen our food system, reduce waste, and improve food access.
Following the presentations, there will be a guided tour of the Sun Prairie Community Garden located next door to the library. The tour will highlight how community gardens can serve as spaces for education, connection, and local food production.
Thursday, July 9, 5:00–8:00 PM
We will meet at the Sun Prairie Public Library’s outdoor amphitheater. In the case of bad weather, you will be notified by email, and we will move indoors at the library.
Sun Prairie Public Library: 1350 Linnerud Dr, Sun Prairie, WI 53590
Agenda
- 5:00–5:30 PM: Arrival, networking, and local snacks
- 5:30– 6:30 PM: Speaker presentations and Q&A
- 6:30–7:30 PM: Community garden and orchard tour
- 7:30 – 8:00 PM: Networking
This event is free and open to the public. Please RSVP by registering if you plan to attend so that we can have an accurate headcount for food.
Email samantha@sustaindane.org with any questions.
This event is hosted in partnership with Sustain Dane, the City of Sun Prairie, Green Box Compost, and the Sun Prairie Public Library. This program is part of a USDA grant that also includes the support of composting in schools, households, and city events.
Speakers:
Marly Owens is the Food Security Programs Administrator at Sunshine Place. Sunshine Place provides comprehensive services that support essential needs through community engagement and partnerships. Marly graduated from Purdue University with a B.S. in Sustainable Food and Farmings Systems as a Stamps Scholar. Before moving to Madison, she WOOFed on a farm in Montana, served in the Jesuit Volunteer Corps as a Garden and Outreach Coordinator in Hood River, Oregon and worked at a food pantry in Fremont, California.
Sarah became a vendor at the Sun Prairie Farmers Market in February 2018 selling locally raised meats from her farm, Wells Farms and took over management of the market in August 2020. Her dual role gives her a unique perspective to serve both the vendors and customers which helps create a sense of community and welcoming and successful market.
Hannah Burwell is an Organic Vegetable and Medicinal Herb Farmer. She started working on an organic veggie farm in 2021 when her contract with her corporate job ended and she was looking for a job that would teach her a valuable life skill until she found her next corporate position. Little did she know that she would fall in love with farming and after working at that farm for one full season, she decided to pursue vegetable farming as a career. Hannah spent the following two years in the Wisconsin Organic Vegetable Farm Manager Apprenticeship and then spent the year after graduation managing a small organic vegetable CSA farm south of Madison. In 2025, she finally decided to start her own farm doing what she loves most! And now, she gets to spend her days watching magic happen before her eyes as seeds turn into sprouts, sprouts into plants, and plants into food and medicine.