Penny Jordan, Maine Farmers for Food Equity
The Maine Immigrant Green Collaborative, is led by Farms for Food Equity, Maine Farm & Sea Cooperative, and Wayside Food Programs. It was established to address a specific concern articulated by Maine’s immigrant community in Southern Maine regarding access to healthy, hearty nutritious greens in the emergency food system.
Upon arrival in Maine, many immigrants need to rely on food pantries to meet the food security needs of their families. Many experience what has been deemed “Food Shock”, as the products offered do not culturally align with their diets, and the products available are not consistent with what is required to prepare culturally appropriate meals for their families. Healthy, hearty greens, such as kale and collards, are key components, and often, they are not available.
Maine’s immigrant communities desire high quality products and consistent availability of fresh greens, vegetables, and fruits for their home cooking traditions. Our project has confirmed that with education provided by respected community leaders and immigrant cooks, we can expand hearty greens utilization by showing how Maine-grown staple and underutilized/upcycled produce can be effectively substituted for ingredients used in their countries of origin.
Underutilized crops such as collards and kale are used in staple meal preparation, and other brassica leaves, such as broccoli and cauliflower, if harvested and processed correctly, can be upcycled, and are also effective substitutes. Brussel sprout crowns and sweet potato leaves can also be harvested, upcycled and incorporated into culturally appropriate alternatives.
The Collaborative has expanded its efforts to meet the culturally appropriate food security needs of Maine’s immigrant families and their children by partnering with three school districts, South Portland, Westbrook, and Lewiston, to offer culturally appropriate meals in Southern Maine schools.
Penny Jordan, a fourth-generation farmer in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, grew up on the farm she currently operates alongside her brother, Bill Jr., and sisters, Pam and Carol Anne. In 1999 Penny had the opportunity to re-join the family business – Jordan’s Farm, a 60+ acre mixed vegetable/market farm in Cape Elizabeth, Maine which is located less than 10 miles from Portland, Maine’s largest city. Jordan’s Farm has an onsite farm stand, sells wholesale, and is committed to helping end hunger in Maine by 2030.
Penny worked with her father, Bill Jordan Sr., and her siblings to transition his passion, the farm, to the next generation, and fulfill his dream – that his farm would always be a working farm and remain a significant part of the community.
Penny is also active in hunger prevention programs in Southern Maine. In 2018 she lead an initiative for DACF Commissioner Beal to outline a strategy for ending hunger in Maine by 2030. In 2020 she started a new organization – Farms for Food Equity – whose mission is growing Maine agriculture and ending hunger.
In addition to her involvement in agriculture, Penny serves on the Cape Elizabeth Town Council. She has over 30 years of experience in project management and business planning. Penny earned her master’s in social work from Boston University focusing on community organizing and program design. She is passionate about her community, Maine agriculture, and ensuring all people have access to healthy Maine raised food. Her dream is to ensure the next generation of farmers can operate profitable farm businesses and that Maine has the political will to end hunger.