MRCN’s ongoing projects include:
Regional Associations: Mississippi River Hills, Old Trails, Missouri River Bluffs, and Missouri Rhine Valley. Each association represents a grouping of counties together promoting and growing the unique cultures of our geographic heritage. We collaborate to raise awareness about our place.
Local Food Promotion: Here at MRCN, we recognize that the billion dollar a year food industry in Boone County alone could serve to nourish our local farmer economies and the health of our River Valley communities. Missouri Foundation for Health and Missouri Dept of Agriculture have been supporting our efforts for regional Farmer’s Market conferences, as well as a series of Taste of Missouri festivals that will take place during the 2013 growing season. For more information about these pursuits, visit our Local Food page, or the AmeriCorps VISTA projects page.
The Taste of Local Missouri Food Festivals are a series of 6 festivals around mid-Missouri taking place Spring-Fall of 2013. These projects are a collaboration of MRBA and MRCN. The goal of the Taste of Local Missouri Food Festivals is to promote local producers and farmers’ markets, educate the public on local food, cooking with local food, and to promote specialty crops, meats, cheese, and artisan products produced locally. At the festivals, you will find fresh fruits and vegetables alongside artisan products typically available at farmers’ markets in addition to live music, local beer and wine, and children’s activities and cooking demonstrations. Check out our our cooking lady, Laura Carter’s website MO Deep Roots for recipes and information on local food in mid-Missouri. Please visit the Taste of Local Missouri website for event details and more information.
Lewis and Clark history projects including the Bicentennial Byways, are intended to share information about the first European exploration of this area and how the land and waters have changed since the early 1800s. 49 information boards can be seen at various points along river on the Katy Trail and the Bicentennial Byways driving tours. Le
Americorps VISTAs (Volunteers in Service to America) have been arn more!
contributing to various MRCN projects for many years. This year, 5 VISTAs who began their one year term in March in Columbia and Boonville are doing outreach, education, and promotion for the Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture, the Boonville Farm and Garden Coalition, and MRCN activities related to local food economies. In July and August, another 5 VISTAs will begin projects with the Missouri River Bluffs Association, the town of Hermann, and the Columbia Farmers Market.
We also work with groups such as the Katy Trail Merchants and Communities and Offtrack Events to expose more folks to the beautiful network of trails and parks we have along the river. This year, we hosted the Pedaler’s Jamboree Rocheport stage and food with great success! In the past, we have organized events such as Canoe for Clean Water trips and various heritage awareness festivities.
