Harrisdale Homestead Affiliations

Affiliations that Connect and Enhance Local Community Resources (bonding social capital)

Wallace Foundation for Rural Research and Development

The Wallace Foundation for Rural Research and Development (WFRRD) is a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation covering 19 counties in southwest Iowa. It is a grassroots organization that was formed by a group of dedicated citizens in 1988. Harrisdale Homestead has been a project the Foundation since 2005 .

The mission of the Wallace Foundation is: ...to achieve for the people of southwest Iowa an increase in the standard of living and quality of life through accelerated agricultural research, education, technology transfer and rural development initiatives.

For more information about our 501(c)(3) sponsor Wallace Foundation for Rural Research and Development, please visit: http://wallacefdn.org/ .

Cass County Local Food Policy Council

The Cass County Local Food Policy Council is a Cass County Government advisory body charged with promoting a vibrant and diverse local food system that supports the health and well-being of Cass County residents.

Healthy Cass County

Ardy is a member of the leadership team for the Healthy Cass County community focused network for promoting the health & well-being of Cass County residents. We are currently bringing together community resources to increase county residents’ access to healthy, locally produced food.

Progressive Rural Iowa Development Enterprise (PRIDE)

“PRIDE is a 501(c)(3) organization devoted to development of all types, in and beyond southwest Iowa, for its member cities of Cumberland, Griswold, Lewis, Marne and many individual members.” It is led by Frank and Kim Spillers of Rural Community Solutions from Atlantic (https://bewuca.com ). Ardy and Gil serve on its board.

Corn for Cause

Corn for Cause is a 501(c)(3) organization whose purpose is to increase access to locally-grown sweet corn by limited income families. Ardy serves as a member of its board.

Linking to External Resources (bridging social capital)

The Thomas A. Lyson Center for Civic Agriculture and Food Systems (http://lysoncenter.org/)

Gil and Ardy serve on the leadership team of the Lyson Center, which is a project of the Cornell University affiliated Center for Transformative Action. The Lyson Center’s mission is “To provide practical research-based information, tools, programs and services that lead to productive collaboration between food systems scholars, professionals, and active residents engaged in food systems development work at the community level.”

Journal of Agriculture, food Systems, and Community Development

Gil and Ardy serve as advisors to the Lyson Center's Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development (JAFSCD; https://www.foodsystemsjournal.org/index.php/fsj/about)). We have made Harrisdale Homestead a “shareholder” the open-access JAFSCD journal because we think that its focus “. . .on the practice of agriculture and food system development. . .” with the practical and applied research which enhances our work for integrating research into practice and practice informing research questions and methodology. Gil peer-reviews manuscripts submitted to JAFSCD and serves as a “JAFSCD Author Mentor” who works with practitioners and junior authors to help them prepare publishable manuscripts.

Renewable Agriculture & Food Systems

Gil is an associate editor for Renewable Agriculture & Food Systems for which he manages the peer review process for approximately four manuscripts per year (https://www.foodsystemsjournal.org/index.php/fsj/about).

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

Ardy is co-author of the introductory chapter, “Communication is the Essence of Nutrition Practice” (Mayfield and Gillespie), for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Guide to Nutrition Communication, edited by B. Mayfield, forthcoming 2020.

Professional Societies

Ardy and Gil are members of a variety of professional organizations that connect them to current information and developments in their respective fields. Both are members of the Agriculture, Food, and Human Values Society. Ardy is a current member of the Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior, the American Public Health Association, American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, and American Association of University Women. Gil is a current member of the Rural Sociological Society, the Society for the Study of Social Problems, the Association for the Study of Food and Society, the Society for the Study of Symbolic Interaction, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Agriculture and Food Organizations

Ardy and Gil are members of the Practical Farmers of Iowa and the Iowa Farmers Union. Gil is also a member of the Northeast Organic Farmers Association and Slow Food and he participates in the Regional Food Systems Working Group (RFSWG), which links local food actors around Iowa.