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Thinking Like A Community, Part One.

© Bob Ewing

Rain, finally it rained. Not enough, but at least it is something to wet the gardens. It does not solve the problem. Water levels are still too low and the forest too dry. The cold winter and lack of snow have complicated the problem. The frost is much deeper than usual so the ground will take longer to thaw. I can only hope and help people to see the connections between weather and their dinner.

According to an ancient Indian Upanishad, "All that is born is born of anna [food]. Whatever exists on earth is born of anna, lives on anna, and in the end merges unto anna. Anna indeed is the first born amongst all beings."

Vandana Shiva, Stolen Harvest, The Hijacking of the Global Food Supply

If we wish to build a new society then we need to begin with food. We need to move beyond the current charity, food bank model that exists today. We need to move towards a society that recognizes the true role that food plays.

There are a number of basic changes that we can make as we move towards an intentional community within our neighbourhoods. For example, we can consider what it might be like, if we lived in a community, that was part of a community food network. We, rather than growing food, just for ourselves, become part of a bigger plan and work to see that everyone has enought to to eat. Our garden could grow cabbages while another grows carrots. Each individual garden is part of a neighbourhood collective or cooperative. So that the food is shared and the herb growers get a share of the carrots, potatoes and cabbages the others grow.

We still have our individual properties and a part of that can be set aside to be used as we choose, the rest grows what the co-op requires. If new members are added to the co-op, then the group will determine what is needed and the new member will provide that. Some people may become beekeepers, other look after small livestock, such as chickens. Even the local schools can be included in the plan. A certain portion of the schoolyard can be set aside for food production.

The season, at least in cold weather climates, can be lengthened by the use of pit greenhouses and other season extending techniques. Several houses in the coop, could install pit greenhouses and provide fresh herbs, tomatoes and lettuce all year round, for example. Community root cellars would provide storage and enhance the community's food security.