Open Food Network
California
Laurie left an awesome job in Silicon Valley to become an organic farmer in the high desert of northeastern California. She had no farm training or background, just a suspicion that everything starts and ends with food and integrity. While farming, she started and managed a food hub and farmers market, and co-founded a local food nonprofit in her remote community – these are all still going strong now. In the past few years she has worked to support the regional food system in Central Oregon, working with Extension and other nonprofits. Now she is working to grow the Open Food Network in the US. She believes that the Open Food Network’s values, way of working, and vision for a better world is achievable and worth working towards – as is the vision of Certified Naturally Grown. She became a CNG Board member in 2021.