Join Food Connects in welcoming Nathanael Matthiesen to the Food Hub Team. Nathanael is our new Operations and Fleet Coordinator, responsible for delivering orders, assisting with IT, and overseeing and maintaining the Food Hubs growing fleet of vehicles.
Nathanael comes to Food Connects from the Brattleboro Food Co-op and is very interested Food Connect’s mission. “As a small farmer myself, I have been particularly excited about the Food Hub, which is doing indispensable work for local agriculture in our region,” says Nathanael. “I am extremely excited to be a part of the Food Connects team, as it dovetails perfectly with my other endeavors in life, and I am proud to be involved with an organization that is making a difference in my local community. We have a great team and I am looking forward to being a part of the Food Hub’s growth and future success. I know we are already a model for the state of Vermont and I am glad to play a part.”
As a local farmer Nathanael is invested in the local food movement for a myriad of reasons:
“As someone who studied large-scale economic systems, it became apparent to me that something about our system is broken. Although the issues cannot be parsed down to one root cause, I believe that local, sustainable agriculture is of paramount importance to solving our larger environmental and economic issues.
Aside from the environmental and economic impact of local food, food brings people and communities together and fosters a sense of place, identity, and shared history. In a world where we are increasingly disconnected and distanced from our neighbors, local food provides an opportunity to build bridges and connections. It also ensures that dollars remain local and keeps small towns thriving instead of repatriating capital to far-flung regions of the country and even world.
Additionally, the local food movement is providing innovative solutions and alternatives to the severe health issues that our society is facing in the wake of the so-called Green Revolution, Big Ag’s dominance, and the pervasiveness of processed, GMO, and pesticide laden food.”
Nathanael is already out on the road making deliveries!
And Nathanael is very excited to grow with us. “I believe that Food Connects will continue to be a model for the state and region and I foresee growth of the Food Hub, as well as the more mission-based work of the organization. I am excited to be a part of this growth as the Food Hub enters a new phase in a new physical space, and couldn’t be more proud to play a part in making a difference for our region. Working here is a natural extension of my interests and experience, and I hope that I can offer the organization the experience and insight that I have gleaned over the years as a farmer and someone who has studied these issues from a more academic perspective in the past.”
Nathanael spends most of his time outside of Food Connects working on his small farm and spending time with his wife and two year-old son. When he does have time outside of that he enjoys tinkering with machines and computers, photography, music and collecting vinyl records, hiking and generally being outdoors. In the recent past, he was an avid rock-climber, and looks forward to getting back into the sport in the future.
Nathanael’s favorite food is pizza! “Although I am dedicated to local food, I have a secret inclination to foods that aren’t good for me. You can’t change everything at once, right?” When he was little, he wanted to be a race car driver or teacher, but we are glad he ended up working with us!
Be sure to say hi to Nathanael when he delivers local food to you!