Learn from local food system experts at Foodie Fridays!
Foodie Fridays, organized by Montgomery Parks Community Garden Program, is a monthly speaker series from June to September that highlights food-related topics in Montgomery County.
Events are held on the fourth Friday of the month, from 6:30-8:30pm. Attendees can check in and enjoy refreshments from 6:30-7:00pm. Speakers begin promptly at 7:00pm and a Q&A follows the presentations.
2025 Events
This year, presentations will focus on different parts of the food system—from farming and food recovery programs to community kitchens and composting—and how they relate to residents of Montgomery County. Join us to understand more about the systems that feed us while engaging with speakers and community members over dinner and drinks.
September 26 – Composting: Waste Recovery & Inputs
Did you know that 30-40% of food in the United States ends up in the landfill? While there are many ways to reduce waste as food makes its way through the supply chain, some food waste is inevitable. Learn how Compost Crew is turning this waste into an important resource for farmers.
Julie Williamson is a composting expert with a degree in Sustainable Food and Bioenergy Systems from Montana State University and professional training from the U.S. Composting Council (USCC). Julie serves as the Composting Operations Supervisor at Compost Crew, a mission-driven local company dedicated to protecting the planet, reducing waste, and building community wealth. Julie specializes in designing and managing composting systems that convert organic waste into nutrient-rich soil amendments, with expertise in aerated static piles, windrow operations, and small-scale systems. On any given day you can find her with her hands in a variety of projects from decontaminating a load of food scraps, making fresh compost piles in the front end loader, to leading onsite compost tours and teaching the community about the importance of composting as part of our sustainable future.
Past Events
The first Foodie Friday events were held in 2018. Since then, over 25 local food system experts have shared their journey, experience, and passion with attendees.
- Farming: Inputs & Production (June 2025) – Marcey Guramatunhu shared about her journey starting Chirandu Farm with her sister, Precious. Attendees learned how the farm is dedicated to providing the DMV area with fresh and unique organic vegetables, with a focus on sustainable and regenerative farming practices. Marcey and Precious grow a diverse selection of crops including traditional favorites as well as African specialty crops like okra, pumpkin leaves, spinach, maize, and horned melon.
- Connecting: Food Recovery & Distribution (July 2025) – Attendees learned from Payton Albers, Volunteer Coordinator at Nourish Now, about the state of food insecurity in Montgomery County and how Nourish Now is rescuing surplus food and distributing it to those who need it. Annarose Kennedy, Local Food Resources Specialist at Manna Food Center, shared about the organization’s Farm to Food Bank program which pays farmers for fresh produce as well as their Community Food Rescue Program which redirects edible food waste from the landfill to food assistance providers.
- Cooking: Processing & Retail (August 2025) – Ivie Baker, Program Manager for Crossroads Community Food Network‘s Community Kitchen, gave attendees an overview of how the community kitchen and the Microenterprise Development Program is helping local small-scale food entrepreneurs overcome barriers and build successful businesses. Chef and baker, Miriam Perlacio, shared about her journey starting Little Bites Catering and how the community kitchen helped her to expand her business and explore new opportunities.
- Feed the Soul: Food and Mental Health (June 2024) – Dr. Nicole Salman, a neuropsychologist from Snapdragon Wellness, made the connection between food, nutrition, and mental health. She taught attendees how neurological differences may impact eating patterns and how food works with our bodies to impact things like mood, cognitive functioning, and more.
- Smell the Flowers: Pollinators and Agriculture (July 2024) – During this hands-on lecture, Michael Roswell explored the crucial role of pollinators in agriculture and local food systems. Attendees learned about plant-pollinator interactions, pollination biology and ecology, and regional species conservation.
- Taste the Land: Forest Agriculture and Foraging (August 2024) – Forest gardener, herbalist, naturalist, and educator, Bodhi Vasilopoulos, explored the relationships and connections between humans and the world around us during this presentation. Attendees learned about the environmental benefits of forest agriculture as well as varieties of fruits, nuts, and other edible plants that can be found in Montgomery County.
- Hear the Past: Historical Foodways in Montgomery County (September 2024) – Historian, author, and explorer of the American past, Anthony Cohen, talked about the history of farming in Montgomery County with a focus on the Museum Garden at Button Farm Living History Center and the heirloom varieties being grown there. To bring this history to life Button Farm recreates sensory experiences of the past, integrating the tastes, touch, smell, sights and sounds of the 1850s into the daily operations of the farm.
- See the Future: Young Farmers in the DMV (October 2024) – Two younger-than-average farmers, Falani Spivey and Meredith Epstein, shared their journeys into agriculture. Falani gave a presentation about being a returning generational farmer, including how a trip to Guinea-Bissau connected her to her ancestors and influenced her interest in farming. Falani also shared how she incorporates storytelling and filmmaking into her farm, Byrd’s Nest Box. Meredith discussed her role at the University of Maryland’s Institute of Applied Agriculture and how the program is supporting beginning farmers, as well as her experience running a no-kill chicken farm and sanctuary (Lemon House Farm) out of her own backyard.
- Cultivating Traditions (June 2023) – Food is deeply rooted in history and place – past events and traditions have shaped what we eat and where we can find it. Two local growers (Tanya Doka-Spandhla and Nia Nyamweya) discussed how and why history, ancestral and traditional knowledge, and culturally important foods influence their farming practices.
- The Bee’s Knees (July 2023) – This event featured Phil Frank, a member of the Montgomery County Beekeepers Association. The talk focused on honey bees’ role in food production, the kinds of foods we’d miss out on without honey bees, and exactly what it is morphologically and behaviorally that makes bee pollination irreplaceable.
- The People’s Medicine (August 2023) – Attendees explored the intersection between traditional and holistic wellness practices, land stewardship, and home herbalism with speaker Rhiannon Smith, founder of Takoma Park-based herbal apothecary Kiyoshi Botanicals.
- Saving Seeds and Stories (September 2023) – Every seed tells a story. With every seed planted, the genetic story of the plant is passed onto the next generation, just as the stories, memories, and feelings associated with specific foods are passed down among our families. Niraj Ray, founder of Cultivate the City, shared how to save seeds as well as the value of saving seeds from culturally important crops.
- Food is Freedom (October 2023) – In the US, food and farming have a long history of being tied to freedom – and enslavement. For the final Foodie Fridays of 2023, speakers discussed the power rooted in food and farming. Susan Cook shared the story of her fourth great aunt, Alethia Tanner, and how growing food was her pathway from enslavement to freedom. Gardener and edible activist Vanessa Pierre discussed her advocacy work and how gardening continues to empower communities.