Our People
We’re a diverse group, but our passion for whole grains and natural living brings us together!
Darzana 2009
Darzana is a think–tank event focused on furthering the natural lifestyle cause. Since 2008, Kashi has been bringing together leaders from across the natural community—farmers, health practitioners, policy experts, educators, and others—with the goal of identifying the biggest challenges facing the world of natural food and health. Collectively, we come up with powerful solutions to these challenges based on our diverse areas of expertise.
This year, we focused on how to support natural food within our modern food system—no small feat! Our goal? To create a simple, straightforward action list you can implement now. No muss, no fuss—just real, positive change that starts with you and ladders up to ensuring a future full of pure, accessible, natural food.
After three days of presentations, discussion, and debate, we identified the two most crucial issues in need of support to get us there: education and transparency. With these two issues in mind we developed an action list.
This is where you come in.
Individually, the actions support one’s own education or others’. Together, they foster a lifestyle that will lead to greater understanding and demand for quality, natural food on a local, national, and global level. Let’s get started!
Challenge
Climb mountains
“Take a hike”— what was once a brush–off is now considered by many to be a great idea! Staying in touch with nature helps you stay in touch with your own body and wellness, as well as what the planet has to offer. So, today, challenge yourself to take a hike…and appreciate...
Challenge
Clean up, come all
Clean beaches, parks, natural spaces, and communities don’t happen by themselves. Today, challenge yourself to participate in a beach or park clean up. Not only does it feel good, it preserves a valuable resource and puts you in touch with likeminded individuals. Resource...
Challenge
Rebuild a trail
Like any human inroad into nature, trails require upkeep and love. Today, challenge yourself to help rebuild a trail in your favorite park, climbing area, or beach. Resource: http://www.americantrails.org/rtp/
Challenge
Study your community
Do your local stores sell natural food? What’s grown in your area? Do CSAs deliver natural food boxes to your neck of the woods? Before you can feed yourself and your family naturally, you need to know what’s readily available to you. Today, challenge yourself to learn about your...
Challenge
Replace plastic
From concerns over potentially toxic agents like Bisphenol–A and pthalates to impact on the environment, plastic is out and other options are in. Today, challenge yourself to minimize plastic use or opt for non–plastic options when possible.What can you do? Switch to glass, stainless...
Challenge
Plant on it
Want to make an impact on your health and the environment with one step? Try eating more plants and less meat. Today, challenge yourself to go green in the truest sense, and eat lower on the food chain. You may find you feel better for it in more ways than one. Resources: Deborah Madison’s...
Challenge
Get a read on it
The modern food system feeds billions, but is, in some ways, natural food proponents’ biggest obstacle. Your first step to understanding how it all works is to study up: Find out what “natural” really means, how natural standards are affected by mass production and distribution...
Challenge
Take a tour
Ever wonder what’s really on the shelves, in the bins, and filling your local market’s aisles? Then take a natural foods tour of a conventional grocery store. Learning opportunities abound in a retail space you probably visit weekly but have never examined closely. Today, challenge...
Challenge
Look up labels
Want to know what’s really in that favorite packaged food? If you’re like us, you may have given up at the first complicated or clinical–sounding ingredient you encountered. Take your knowledge to the next level and dissect a nutrition label instead. Today, challenge yourself by...
Challenge
Cook the books
Want to “naturalize” your kitchen? Start with your recipe bookshelf. Creating a rich selection of go–to recipes that rely on natural, wholesome foods is a great first step toward eating better. Today, challenge yourself by buying a natural foods cookbook to add to your collection...
Challenge
Whole up
You. Your kitchen. And all the delicious whole foods you can eat! That’s a straightforward way to test your natural mettle: This week, challenge youreslf to pass on packaged and prepared goodies and eat only whole foods for one full week. Your cooking repertoire and taste buds will thank you...
Challenge
Rewrite a recipe
Going natural doesn’t have to mean giving up your favorite foods. Try naturalizing a go–to recipe instead. From comfort cuisine to weeknight wonders to dinner party favorites, most recipes can benefit from substituting natural ingredients for fake ones. Today, challenge yourself to...
Challenge
Read up
Informing yourself about natural food issues doesn’t have to be boring. From films like “Supersize Me” and movie–book powerhouse “Fast Food Nation” to landscape–shifters like Omnivore’s Dilemma, you can be entertained as well as educated. Today...
Challenge
Befriend the Farm Bill
The USDA Farm Bill affects everyone who eats. Yet few people spend time studying it. The Farm Bill determines what foods are available to us, how much they cost, and how they are grown — pretty important stuff! Today, challenge yourself to look up the USDA Farm Bill online and and understand...
Challenge
Court Congress
Sometimes, going straight to the top of the food chain makes sense, especially when we’re talking about the U.S. Congress! Today, challenge yourself to write your U.S. Congressperson to express your priorities when it comes to supporting natural food. Resource...
Challenge
Eat closely grown
Becoming part of the natural food life cycle starts at home. So go as local as you can by purchasing locally grown produce. Today, challenge yourself to prepare a meal with food that grew in your neck of the woods or nearby. Resource: http://www.localharvest.org/
Challenge
Herb yourself
These days, growing our own food is a pleasure too few of us experience. Thankfully, that’s now changing as our interest in food sourcing grows. Today, invest in the natural way by planting an herb container. It won’t be long before you’re experiencing the joy of preparing a meal...
Challenge
Toil in soil
The phrase “back to the earth” takes on real meaning when it happens right in your backyard. Composting is something you can do that completes the life cycle of food—and offers you rich rewards in the process. Today, challenge yourself to start composting. (Hint: You can even use...
Challenge
Create a class
Want to be the start of something big in natural eating? Go grass–roots: Today, challenge yourself to organize and host a natural foods cooking class in your home for family and friends. Resource: http://kashi.com/recipes
Challenge
Garden together
Community food gardens not only feed people, they educate, beautify, and green up whole neighborhoods! Plus, they’re a great way to make friends. Today, challenge yourself to create or volunteer to help maintain a community food garden. Resource: http://acga.localharvest.org/