A Mindful Community of Food

According to a CBC story, in 2005 Canadian farmers made their smallest real profits since 2003 as they came off two years or more of drought and mad-cow-related trade restrictions.

After attending the Provincial government's Agricultural Planning Committee public meeting this past Tuesday, this report comes as no surprise to me. It was standing room only and the 2 hours alotted for the meeting was barely enough time to scratch the surface. Considering the changes in regulations, the cuts in government funding and the tape-looped lip service we're getting the from Gordo and his crew, we've got one hell of a fight if we want to maintain a local farm industry.

Looking around the room, I saw the farmers that have provided a majority of my food for these past few years. I was a bit saddened and very frustrated that they had to fight this hard in order to continue providing food for the community. It scares me that my generation may be the last that will have the choice of a locally-grown diet. Considering the rate that farms are closing, the dumping of cheap products from overseas growers, cookie-cutter government policies and the consumer's expectations for cheaper and cheaper food, this is not inconceivable.

We're so enamored with the cult of the global economy that we've forgotten the community economy. There is a small but growing movement that is rising against this. More books about the problems of corporate farms, food conglomerates and the failure of the modern food system to provide a proper diet are showing up on the shelves. From obesity to junk food funding school programs to GMO food technology, modern food issues are showing up in the news. We don't need another freaking government report to tell us what is wrong. We know what is wrong. We've know it for a very long time.

After years of activism, I have come to the conclusion that my role as a consumer is one of the most powerful political tools I have. Forget the placards and the rally cries, I'm done with those for now. I will subvert the system one meal at a time.

Sometimes it actually works ;)

Last night, I had some friends over for dinner. The dinner doubled as a naan and curry cooking lesson for my friend Karin. It was also a much needed boost for me and reminder that my personal 100 Mile Diet campaign is making small ripples beyond my own dinner table.

Unfortunately, there are still those around me that scoff at my 100 mile diet ideas. My only recourse is to only invite dinner guests that respect my ideas or at least don't openly belittle my requests for locally-grown food contributions. Either that or introduce them to my Chinese cleaver. Just kidding. Well kinda...

Luckily, many of my friends have embraced the local food lifestyle and revel in what their local farms have to offer. I certainly don't lack for like-minded guests to invite over for a hearty locally-grown meal and are happy to bring their favorite local cheese and wines to share. A few of us have formed a food buying club. We're splitting a lamb order from a local farmer and an order from Island Bison in Campbell River. Check out the Fall Resource Guide in the Nanaimo 100 Mile Diet Challenge website for farmers and vendors that are selling products through the fall and winter.

I get oodles of emails from Australia to England to California from friends sharing what they're discovering in their local farms. I have a whole posse of budding chef friends in Vancouver who are having weekly 100 mile diet potlucks and have bestowed moi with an open invitation. I'm such a lucky kid!

By sharing and actively supporting each other's 100 mile diet journey, we are consciously making a choice to be the change we want to see in this world. We are all actively choosing to be mindful participants in our community of food.

It's been fun and soulwarming to share this with folks who are as passionate about life, the enviroment and food as I am. I am very blessed.

Thanks to all the farmers on this island for putting in the endless hours, hard work and risking so much so that I can still have the choice to buy locally grown foods.

To everyone is who is also mindfully choosing locally-grown foods and products, thank you for being part of this community of food.

Happy Eating!

Jen

Readin' and Eatin'

Thursday’s Nanaimo Bulletin had a couple of local food related articles. The first is an article by Tom Fletcher titled “Fresh food imports aren’t so healthy”. According to a report from BC’s top public health official, Dr. Perry Kendall, BC’s farms haven’t been protected enough to make them viable against the flood of imports. (well, duh.).

So what does the BC government propose as a way to strengthen small-scale local agriculture? Is it providing a work funding program to help local farmers hire workers? Is it helping the industry attract a new generation of farmers? Is it helping promote local farms as a source of year-round produce and food products to consumers, retailers and restaurants? Is it subsidizing the building of a much needed local slaughterhouse? Is it going to start an initiative to get local foods into school lunch menus?

Nope. It’s promoting farm tours.

OK. I know. One step at a time.

Well, go visit a farm. Watch where you step.

BTW, This weekend is Shady Mile’s Pumpkin Festival. While you’re in that neck of the woods on Saturday, go pop over the Gary Argyle’s farm stand at 2403 Maxey Road to grab your week’s produce and down to Westwood orchards (170 Westwood Road) to pick up some apples. Or head over to Nanoose Edibles' farm stand in Nanoose Bay to pick up some fresh from the farm organic produce. In other words, don't just look, buy and eat local!

This week, Dr. John Yim’s health column carried a very useful article on the benefits of locally grown products. First he starts off my teasing us with a list of the wonderful Thanksgiving feast his culinary diva of a wife provides. The article makes an informed argument for the benefits a local diet has for our personal health and the health of this planet. Global warming, extreme weather changes and other environmental crises can be overwhelming. Though it doesn’t seem like much, buying a locally grown apple versus one from New Zealand is a step towards the solution.

I’ll update the Nanaimo 100 Mile Diet Challenge website soon to tell you all about the local farms and vendors that will still be selling their products throughout the fall and winter.

Dead Seeds Growing

I've been MIA for the last while. I've been recovering from my Knitting Olympics frenzy. The skirt got done and I would post up a pic but I'm having technical difficulties so you're just gonna have to take my word for it.

Here's some stuff I've been messing with lately:

Ban Terminator : No, this is not a call to get Schwarzenegger out of office. This is a call against lifting a UN moratorium on sterile seeds. The GMO seeds would prevent farmers from saving and replanting harvested seed. In other words, it would stop farmers from farming the way that they have for freaking ever. This wonderful concept is brought to you by your neighbourhood agri-facists like Monsanto. Canada and US are at the forefront of trying to get this moratorium lifted. Write letters to your officials, sign the petition, spread the word.

In relation to the Dead Seed Growing rant, I'm subscribing to Nanoose Edible's local produce box program. For $35 a week, I get a big box of organic local produce delivered to my doorstep. Yippee! I can't wait. There're similar programs in other cities in Canada, US and Europe.

So, in celebration of International Women's Day, South Dakota's Rebumpkin Governor Mike Rounds has decided to put forth a bill to ban abortions, even in cases of rape and incest. Other states are considering following South Dakota's lead...sigh...some people's children...

So, if the bill passes, doctors will face fines and up to 5 years in prison for performing abortions. Rape and incest victims will be forced to carry the fetus to term, whether they want to or not. Rapists will get the same parental rights as the woman they raped. Well, I'm sure the rapists in South Dakota are glad their rights are being protected so well.

Maybe Cameron Diaz did know what she was talking about on Oprah's Voting Party show.

Yikes.

Is it too early in the day to start drinking?

Harper Ate My Country

Am I blue?
Am I blue?
Ain’t these tears in these eyes telling you,
How can you ask me,
Am I blue?

That's what Canadaland was singing this morning in the shower, trying to get Bush's dried-up jizz out of its mullet.

Prime Minister Harper.

Wow, tastes like moose ass when I say that.

I'd drown my sorrows in a 40 pack of Timbits but Timmy Ho's is American now, so I'll just lay here with my toque and my Care Card pressed ever so gently against my cheek and dream of simpler times....sigh

Here's a recipe for a Coffee Crisp cocktail to get that nasty moose sphincter taste out of your mouth:

In an old-fashion glass pour in:
1/2 oz Amaretto Almond Liqueur
1/2 oz Kahlua Coffee Liqueur
1/2 oz Irish Cream
Fill with Milk