The Huntington’s Kitchen Garden (Photo – huntington.org)
Free supper, you say? Yes! Thanks to a Smithsonian-sponsored initiative, The Huntington and Zócalo Public Square are inviting guests to share a free, farm-fresh meal while exploring ways to bring nutritious food to underserved communities across Los Angeles. The conversation takes place Sunday, Aug. 30, from 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm.
By Melanie Hooks
The catch? Guests must reserve free tickets online (limit two per person) beginning Aug. 17 at 10:00 am. Those tickets are expected to go quickly.
Urban farming leader Jamiah Hargins of Crop Swap L.A.; Carola Di Poi, head gardener of The Huntington’s Ranch and Kitchen Gardens; and Bianca Collins, Zócalo Public Square’s director of public programs, will lead a discussion inspired by THIS LAND IS …, the current multiyear series of exhibitions and events exploring America’s relationship with the land.
Together, Hargins, Di Poi, and Collins will explore food justice, community empowerment, and urban farming in a dynamic program created in collaboration with Zócalo Public Square.
An intimate garden dinner follows, featuring brick-oven pizza topped with seasonal ingredients. Guests will also receive conversation prompts inspired by Hargins’ work on hyperlocal solutions that transform food deserts into thriving community spaces.
The Deep Dive
Participants will learn about Los Angeles County’s food deserts—areas where affordable, nutritious food is difficult to access—and explore how neighborhoods can transform unused spaces such as front lawns, schoolyards, and alleyways into sustainable microfarms. The goal: growing grains, fruits, and vegetables to nourish families, strengthen communities, and reshape cityscapes one block at a time.
Questions to be explored include:
- Can we eliminate food deserts?
- Can food build political and social power?
- Can urban farming help protect against threats to global food systems, including drought, wildfire, and inflation?
- Can gardens reconnect and regenerate communities?
- And why is it more sustainable to grow a squash than a carrot?
Founded in Los Angeles in 2003, Zócalo Public Square combines public programs and journalism to examine essential questions in a broad-minded, accessible spirit. Its journalism is syndicated to 290 media outlets worldwide, and the organization has hosted more than 750 events in 33 cities across the U.S. and beyond.
Sunday Suppers and Conversations
The evening is part of the ongoing Sunday Suppers and Conversations series. The next event is scheduled for Oct. 4 and will explore the vibrant African American artistic legacies of Altadena and Leimert Park.
The program is co-presented by The Huntington and the Smithsonian Folklife Festival as part of a multiyear partnership with the Smithsonian Institution. Funding is provided through the Smithsonian’s Our Shared Future: 250, a Smithsonian-wide initiative supported by private philanthropy that commemorates the nation’s 250th anniversary while advancing the institution’s vision for the next 250 years.
The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens is located at 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino, CA 91108. Questions about the event may be directed to publicprograms@huntington.org.
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