The fortune cookie, that crisp pastry, wrapped around whimsical sayings, provides a bit of levity after the chow mein and pu-pu platter at our favorite Chinese restaurant. That is, as long as our favorite Chinese restaurant is not located in China! Well, at least not until 1993, when Wonton Foods, based in Brooklyn, New York opened the first fortune cookie factory in China.

The U.S. manufactures most of the three billion fortune cookies made each year and exports them to Chinese restaurants around the world. This “Chinese institution” actually originated in Japan, migrated to Japanese tea gardens in San Francisco and was eventually adopted and marketed by enterprising Chinese restaurateurs throughout the United States and eventually worldwide. Most native Chinese consider the fortune cookie an American oddity and question why anyone would put a piece of paper inside their dessert.

As information is disseminated and discussions about Blue Mountain Station continue to take place, great interest in the local food movement and how it can impact our community is being shown by residents and businesses.

In response to that interest, and with the help of local ranchers Robert and Janet Phinney and a partnership with the Sustainable Living Center of Walla Walla, the Port has created a lecture and film series titled Cultivating Sustainability to be held at Dayton’s Historic Liberty Theater.

The series, which begins in May, seeks to educate and inspire residents and entrepreneurs in the region about the possibilities surrounding natural, organic, and sustainable food processing, farming, grazing, and energy practices. Local business case studies will be featured along with experts in the industry.

Lecture topics include Local Food as Economic Development, Searching for Sustainability, Holistic Management, Livestock Grazing and Meat Production, Energy and Efficiency, and Organic and other Certifications. Lectures will be held in May, June, July, September and October.

The Keynote address at the May 28th lecture, which begins at 7 pm and is free to the public, will be delivered by Ken Meter, president of Crossroads Resource Center in Minneapolis, a nationally sought-after speaker who holds 38 years experience in community capacity building as an administrator, researcher, journalist, and educator. Sustainable concessions, including organic popcorn, will also be available.

A complete schedule that will be updated as presenters are confirmed can be found atwww.bluemountainstation.com or www.sustainablelivingcenter.com.

David Granatstein

David is a member of the Advisory Team for Blue Mountain Station and will be the keynote speaker for the Cultivating Sustainability Lecture & Film Series on June 25th, “Farming & Agriculture”.

David Granatstein serves as Sustainable Agriculture Specialist for the WSU Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources. He has worked on sustainable agriculture for over 30 years, with degrees in natural resources and soil science. He got involved in agriculture during his undergraduate studies in natural resources when it became obvious what a large role agriculture plays in environmental issues. He then co-managed an organic farm in Okanogan County for seven years to get some hands-on experience prior to returning to graduate school to focus on soils, the foundation of organic agriculture. David has now worked in various cropping systems and locations, including southern Africa, Minnesota, and Washington, and travels frequently to speak on sustainable agriculture topics. Current programs and projects include organic agriculture, Climate Friendly Farming, biochar, and eco-labeling. He is based at the WSU Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center in Wenatchee, WA.