The city of Jackson will host a sustainable food festival this week--which the city claims is the first of its kind worldwide. FoodSHIFT director Annie Fenn says the festival will showcase regional ranchers and farmers. Area chefs and foodies will offer advice on topics including finding the best sustainable seafood and making your own vinegars. Fenn says the festival will spend one day just on the subject of local meats.

“We have a really busy, ambitious week planned.  We’ll have an entire day devoted to sourcing sustainable meat. We’ll set up a panel of local ranchers who will discuss best practices raising livestock. You know, how do you buy half a lamb? How do you buy cattle directly from a rancher?”

She says the festival will also offer people the opportunity to learn more about cooking and eating with less economic and environmental impacts.

“We also have a whole day devoted to the harvest or putting up food for the winter. And we’ll have worshops all day long about pickling, canning, making nut milks, jamming, foraging and even making vinegar from scratch.”

The festival starts Wednesday and runs through this weekend. Keynote speakers will include Marion Nestle, author of Eat, Drink, Vote.