Like food? Check out The Pickle Project and support our friends on Kickstarter!

As Americans become more interested in foraging, local food systems and sustainability, there is a great deal to learn from Ukrainian enterprise and expertise. Ukrainian growers, cooks and eaters have much to share about their approach to food and what it means in a rapidly changing country. Diverse both geographically and culturally, Ukraine has long been known for its bountiful soils and forests. Ukrainian gastronomy reflects not only its history of occupation and immigration but also seasonal rhythms.

This project is a fascinating way to connect with communities in Ukraine, encouraging the preservation of your culinary heritage. The Pickle Project documents Ukrainian foodways, exploring historical roots, contemporary practices and emerging issues of sustainability. Photos, stories and recipes will be shared on the Pickle Project blog and in podcasts. The ultimate goal of these efforts is an innovative traveling exhibit that would tour several cities in both the U.S. and Ukraine, sharing the Ukrainian experience through food, culture and community.

Thanks to everyone's contributions we are now fully funded! Exposure and news coverage in the past two weeks really helped us achieve our goal on Kickstarter. Dan and I have reached out to our respective communities of educators, journalists, artists, designers, NGOs, activists, students, etc. and it's been great to see so many people come forth to support the project. Kickstarter placed us in the "Featured" section of the website, which also brought its core audience to learn about the Borderland. Overall, we utilized a lot of social media tools and in-person events in our outreach campaign, and have especially seen an increase in support in the beginning and at the end of the pledge drive. Thanks again!

Cynthia Haven writes about our comic book in her Stanford blog: http://bookhaven.stanford.edu/2010/09/comics-for-a-cause-borderland-warns-kids-about-human-trafficking/ Only 2 days left!

Last night we gave a talk about Comics For Social Change at Stanford's Hasso Plattner Institute of Design a.k.a. d.school. We got a great turn out with a lot of people of various backgrounds - education, art, comics - interested in learning more about Borderland, our process, and potential outcomes. Thanks to everyone's help we are now almost 65% funded, but there are only 3 days left to raise funds for Borderland to be printed and distributed in the U.S. as well as made into an app. We asked attendees to help us on Kickstarter and spread the word about the project. Please, do the same with your friends!