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Welcome to the Foodshed

© Bob Ewing

Today, I began work on the balcony. Serious work that is. The composter is finished so I used the leftover hardware cloth to create a trellis on the balcony's north side. I augmented the cloth with what was left of an older trellis that has seen better days. This set up will provide growing space and privacy. This week I am beginning an exploration of a local foodshed. In previous articles over the past four years I have written about the elements that can make up a food shed; community gardens, community shared agriculture, food cops etc. To get the discussion going on why foodsheds are important I went back to three articles that were originally published on the Suite in November 2000. I have selected specific quotes from those articles, revised them somewhat and composed this week's effort.

I am a member of an organization called the Food Action Network, (FAN) which addresses food security issues within the city. FAN encourages the development of community kitchens and community gardens as well as acting as an advocate. There are a total of 27 emergency food programs from breakfast clubs to food banks in Thunder Bay and most of them are represented at FAN. On May 25 2002, FAN is holding the first Food Fair here in Thunder Bay. Our intent is to begin a process which will create a local food culture. The foodshed concept is an important part of this effort.

We all must eat and this fact gives us a common ground upon which we can build a strong and vibrant community. Lets start with a look at community food programs. For the most part a community food program is working to meet the food needs of people who live within their community and who are at risk because, they, through no fault of their own, cannot obtain enough food for their families.

If there is no community program within your area, then you may want to consider starting one. There are resource materials that can help you get started. The beginning of gardening season, at least here in the North, is a good time to begin a new program. Locally we are laucnhing the Grow A Row program at the Food Fair on May 25. Grow a Row encourages people to grow some food and donate it to a local food program.

When we approach food as a human right rather than commodity it becomes easier to deevlop the services and enterprsies that create the foodshed. In 1948, the United Nations, created a document that provides the foundation for discussion and action that can address these questions. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was born on December 10, 1948.

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