Submitted
There is a growing interest among residents of Golden and Area A in local food.
This is reflected in the yearly increase in vendors at Golden Farmer’s Market, the success of retailers selling products labelled “local,” and interest in farm gate sales. Local plant nurseries report that, although people still buy flowering plants, there is an increasing demand for vegetable starts as people dig up their lawns and try their hand at backyard gardening.
One clear illustration of this trend is the recent seed swap hosted by Local Food Matters, a recently formed non-profit society. The event attracted 90 people curious about gardening with plants that have a history in this part of the Columbia Valley as well as learning from people who have fed their families from produce they raised themselves.
This month, Local Food Matters is hosting a film and discussion night on Sunday, April 29 at the Lion’s Den (under the library) to learn about the experience of a developing “local food culture” in the West Kootenays where communities are weaning themselves off their reliance on crops that come from as far away as Australia and Peru. After screening the acclaimed film Feeding Ourselves, people are invited to stay for a discussion and explore how to do something similar in Golden.
Local Food Matters is also developing a tour of local food producers that will be offered to the public in early fall. Having received funds from the Columbia Basin Trust Community Initiatives and the Columbia Shuswap Regional District grant in aid programs, work is now underway to speak with farmers in our area who want to raise good food for the local market and make a living doing it. Local politicians, managers of grocery stores, and members of the public will be invited to join the tour where they will hear what challenges and opportunities exist for people growing vegetables, grains, and meat in Golden and Area A. Effort is being made to make this event fun and tasty as well as informative. More information about the progress of the tour will be made available throughout the summer.
Both the upcoming film night and the local producer’s tours are ways in which Local Food Matters is working to raise the community’s understanding of the importance of local food issues.
Local Food Matters challenges people to define what “local” means to them, whether it is grown in B.C. or within 300 miles of Golden, and estimate how much of their household food is produced to according to that definition. Whatever the calculation is, Local Food Matters challenges everyone to increase that by two per cent for one month. They say that after the first Golden Farmer’s Market on June 13, it will become easier to reach that target.
Then, try to reduce the definition of local to “grown within 100 kilometres of Golden.” Later in the season, look for workshops about preserving local products to be eaten during the winter to continue to prioritize eating local food — it really matters.
