Insight and inspiration in turbulent times.
Food is not, should not, primarily be seen as a commodity to be bought or sold. To a large extent food is an expression of culture, solidarity and connectedness with the land. Food is also a human right.
Community Supported Agriculure (CSA) can transform the way producers and consumers relate to food as a local commons.
So I’m setting off on a quest to find fresh and affordable food here in Vancouver and documenting my findings in a four-part series.
At the most human level, reconnecting people around the growing of their own food may prove to be among our most effective means of healing our widespread sense of disconnection from nature and community.
People need to be educated to get involved: that they are supporting small systems that are not mechanised, that are not economically fragile. There’s nothing quaint about coming to help out on the farm.
I dream that one day all farmers of this planet will be really connected to the ecosystems they belong to, and to the social communities around them.
We’re TEN this year! Hooray. Cause for celebration, we think. And to celebrate safely in the Covidsphere, we thought we’d give a whistle-stop tour of the history of Sims Hill, and talk a little bit about why we feel so passionate about what we do – local food and community engagement.
Community-supported agriculture is a practice that seeks to connect consumers directly with producers, with the aim of fostering community, creating fair exchange and sharing risks.
Jean-Paul has dedicated much of his career to educating the next generation of farmers. In 1995, he was part of the original CRAFT (Collaborative Regional Alliance of Farmer Training).
I passionately believe in the concept of Community Supported Agriculture. I wanted to do it again, but this time, with real, genuine community involvement. Only where were we going to start?
Food is fundamental. While farmers have yet to face the full economic impact of this pandemic, their collaborative efforts, along with local grassroots networks, could mark the beginning of a new economy laboring to be born.
We can no longer let the distribution method – the market – dictate how we farm and how we eat. We need to develop new tools and institutions in order to cater for the many functions of food and farming. A process of decommodification should be at the core of the alternative food movement.
