Securing Our Food Source - intro

Before the Covid crisis hit, a new line of words kept coming to me. These three words repeated in my head: Securing Our Food Source.

Except it is actually four words. Did you catch that?

I wondered for weeks how to convey the importance of them. Then suddenly it became very apparent to everyone just how vulnerable we are without the ability to get what we need when we need it. The grocery stores experienced mass shortages without the ability to just get more as needed. All over Saskatchewan local food producers stepped up and they pumped out the food like never before. We moved quickly alongside them to keep shelves stocked and orders filled. We coordinated with farmers and they began bringing us extra food as needed. The amazing thing was that when the grocery stores were running out of eggs, honey, flour, milk, meats and more… we were still fully stocked. People wandered into our store wide eyed and shocked that we had these staples. The slow food flowed fast and abundantly. It was if we had all been preparing for this need all along.

THIS IS FOOD SECURITY.

Which previously I had wondered about and had a faint idea about it.

Having people that can provide food for us without waiting on trucks and importing is essential. We are now seeing how vulnerable we are without these local food producers. I wonder how many people were fed by the local farmers? I’m going to guess it was a lot! There also was way shorter line ups which reduced everyone’s risk.
Many of us have spent years learning new skills and digging new gardens… we have a lot to share with each other and it’s time. Not only will these skills secure our food source but it’ll bring us back. Back to connection to the land and to each other. Back to understanding the value and importance of feeding ourselves from what is right here. There is something so satisfying about loaves of sourdough instead of frantically searching for yeast only to end up empty handed. There is something life fulfilling about jars of home canned, garden preserves out of the pantry. There is something connecting about eating a meal raised on the soil we call home. Our sustenance is our purpose and maybe we can’t all raise food but we can support and lift up those who do. They need us and have always needed us to support and value their efforts.
There’s also a lot more we can be doing and the journey is beautiful. Something I do is save seeds. I put them on paper towels and label them. When they dry out I bag them and if I don’t have a garden to grow it in, I give them to someone who will grow them. Often I am rewarded by the fruits of their labour with my simple seed saving. I am blessed.
Saving seeds is a big part of food security. If we have seed, we will be able to provide for ourselves. Seed companies are also experiencing shortages and long order fill times. Saving seeds makes stronger and stronger species as it saves the land and elements knowledge year after year. It remembers and aims to protect against disease and pests specifically in this area. The strongest seeds we can get are seeds from our own area. And we want to be strong and resilient.

thank you for being here,

Nadine