Something to Chew On

Revitalizing Rural Grocery: Building stronger, healthier, and more sustainable communities

When a rural grocery store becomes untenable, the repercussions can be far-reaching. Access to fresh and healthy foods is crucial for community vitality and overall well-being. By cultivating robust partnerships, embracing diverse ownership models, and formulating a comprehensive transition plan, rural grocers can proactively address sustainability and operational challenges before they escalate beyond control.

In this episode of Something to Chew On, we feature Rial Carver, Program Leader for the Rural Grocery Initiative and Extension Specialist for K-State Research and Extension. Drawing on her expertise and deep understanding of the challenges faced by rural grocery stores in Kansas and beyond, Ms. Carver identifies, develops, and shares vital resources that sustain grocers and support rural communities across the United States.

About the podcast

Our lives are frequently and significantly affected by food. Because we must eat to survive, many human cultures have developed with food at their very core. Through prosperous times and depression what we eat has influenced art, music, science, relationships, and more. In this fast-paced world, we often don’t take the time to consider how food gets to our plates, the importance of what and how that food is produced and the aesthetics of food requirements and food enjoyment. Often, seemingly obscure or unrelated aspects of life circle their way back to food.

The goal of this podcast is to explore the complexity and nuance of food systems, celebrate the progress we have made, and debate the best ways for humans to proceed forward into the future. Join our hosts Maureen Olewnik, Colene Lind, James Stack, Jeanette Thurston and others as they informally discuss these points with various contributors from Kansas State University and abroad.