The year 2020 added many turns to the path of a Green County woman, bringing her to a new destination as executive director of the Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES).

Lori Stern was born in Wisconsin and lived in Green County for just over 10 years.

“We're really committed to knowing where our food comes from,” Stern said. “So we purchased a small farm and opened a farm stay.”

The bed and breakfast eventually steered them in the right direction to open a new restaurant in New Glarus, Cow & Quince.

“All the time, we were really committed to organic, sustainable farming practices,” Stern said. “Connecting folks to where their food comes from. We were locally sourced year-round.”

The restaurant was in operation for six years when the pandemic hit.

“Once we were dealing with the pandemic in our really small-world community, I knew the restaurant wasn’t going to make it, so I started looking for other opportunities,” she said.

Prior to farming, she worked in public health and education with an eye toward social justice issues. When the MOSES position became available, Stern felt it was a good fit with her passion for local food and her skillset of having worked in public and nonprofit sectors. 

“It’s definitely been bittersweet,” Stern said about her career change. “I’m really excited to take on leadership for an organization that really paved the way for me moving back to Wisconsin. That’s juxtaposed to losing this business that was very much of our community. I loved that people could come in and eat, and maybe they didn’t even realize that the next table over was somebody who provided the food they were eating.”

Stern expressed eagerness to having a larger footprint through MOSES and working with public policy. 

“I think what gets me excited is how poised MOSES is to continue providing solutions to food systems issues,” she said. “I think that the pandemic definitely raised awareness for a lot of people about the brokenness of several systems and concern about the safety of our food systems availability of local food. I think Moses really provides the opportunity to think about local food, food access, and climate change because we're talking about organic and sustainable practices, and spreading those in a larger way.”

Because of the pandemic, the 2020 MOSES Organic Farming Conference will be held virtually. Typically held each year at the La Crosse Center, the conference is known as the country’s largest organic even reaching more than 3,500 attendees each year.

Stern was hopeful having the virtual platform will allow new attendees to participate who could not afford the time or expense of traveling to La Crosse in previous years.

“I think we’re in an incredible place in history right now, and being able to take on this organization at such a time of change and possibilities is pretty exciting,” Stern said.

 





 

The year 2020 added many turns to the path of a Green County woman, bringing her to a new destination as executive director of the Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES).
Lori Stern was born in Wisconsin and lived in Green County for just over 10 years.
&ldquo;We're really committed to knowing where our food comes from,&rdquo; Stern said. &ldquo;So we purchased a small farm and opened a farm stay.&rdquo;
The bed and breakfast eventually steered them in the right direction to open a new restaurant in New Glarus, Cow &amp; Quince.
&ldquo;All the time, we were really committed to organic, sustainable farming practices,&rdquo; Stern said. &ldquo;Connecting folks to where their food comes from. We were locally sourced year-round.&rdquo;
The restaurant was in operation for six years when the pandemic hit.
&ldquo;Once we were dealing with the pandemic in our really small-world community, I knew the restaurant wasn&rsquo;t going to make it, so I started looking for other opportunities,&rdquo; she said.
Prior to farming, she worked in public health and education with an eye toward social justice issues. When the MOSES position became available, Stern felt it was a good fit with her passion for local food and her skillset of having worked in public and nonprofit sectors. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s definitely been bittersweet,&rdquo; Stern said about her career change. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m really excited to take on leadership for an organization that really paved the way for me moving back to Wisconsin. That&rsquo;s juxtaposed to losing this business that was very much of our community. I loved that people could come in and eat, and maybe they didn&rsquo;t even realize that the next table over was somebody who provided the food they were eating.&rdquo;
Stern expressed eagerness to having a larger footprint through MOSES and working with public policy. &ldquo;I think what gets me excited is how poised MOSES is to continue providing solutions to food systems issues,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;I think that the pandemic definitely raised awareness for a lot of people about the brokenness of several systems and concern about the safety of our food systems availability of local food. I think Moses really provides the opportunity to think about local food, food access, and climate change because we're talking about organic and sustainable practices, and spreading those in a larger way.&rdquo;
Because of the pandemic, the 2020 MOSES Organic Farming Conference will be held virtually. Typically held each year at the La Crosse Center, the conference is known as the country&rsquo;s largest organic even reaching more than 3,500 attendees each year.
Stern was hopeful having the virtual platform will allow new attendees to participate who could not afford the time or expense of traveling to La Crosse in previous years.
&ldquo;I think we&rsquo;re in an incredible place in history right now, and being able to take on this organization at such a time of change and possibilities is pretty exciting,&rdquo; Stern said.
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Join Pam Jahnke for the latest farm news. Heard daily on WOZN 96.7 FM and 1670 AM in Madison Wisconsin from 5-6am. Also heard on affiliate stations all over Wisconsin.

Join Pam Jahnke for the latest farm news. Heard daily on WOZN 96.7 FM and 1670 AM in Madison Wisconsin from 5-6am. Also heard on affiliate stations all over Wisconsin.

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