José Maciel and Antonio Renteria, winners of the University of Pennsylvania’s 2019 President’s Engagement Prize, are now working on improving the health and well-being of mushroom farmers in Kennett Square, writes Michele Berger for Penn Today.
The pair has been introducing various mushroom recipes to local farmers, as many work with the fungi every day, but have never tried it or learned how to cook it. The opportunity to enjoy a well-prepared mushroom meal inspired the farmworkers to ask about how to prepare this and other recipes.
The response the two received is exactly what they wanted for their 13-week “Cultivando Juntos” or “Cultivating Together” program. This aims to reframe the healthy living concept for mushroom farmworkers.
Since arriving in Kennett Square in July, the pair has done a food demonstration every week, conducted a focus group at South Mill Mushrooms, and added Penn biostatistician Dina Appleby and postdoctoral fellow Laura Vargas to the team. Now, they are ready to begin their pilot program.
“Our pilot will go from early November until mid-January,” said Maciel. “Then, we’ll try to repeat it at another farm.”
Read more about Cultivando Juntos at Penn Today here.
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