BY BILL BRADLEY
Providing good nutritious food for people in
need in Sudbury can be as easy as planting a garden. Just ask
Howard Thompson.
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Doreen Ojala, Annette Boudreau and
Howard Thompson are growing bumper crops and great
ideas as a way of nourishing the community. |
Thompson and a group of green-thumbed friends
are nourishing a community garden at 1960 Paris St., behind the
seniors' building he lives in.
Thompson's bumper crop this year is the best
he's experienced in the four years he's been growing a
community garden.
Much of Thompson's crop last year was donated
to the food bank at the housing complex where he lives.
"It's an excellent garden this year. I'm
proud of my zucchinis and squash and I also looked after the
flower beds too in the front of the buildings here. I expect
next year it all will be even better. If I can get the help
again, I'll do it," said Thompson.
Annette Boudreau is one of the garden
helpers.
"This is my first year. It's relaxing. I like
working with other people like Howard and Beth Coulter in the
garden. I'm looking forward to next year," said Boudreau.
Beth Coulter says the garden reminds her of
home.
"I grew up around gardens up north in the
tri-towns area of Northern Ontario so I like helping in this
garden too. I also like to help Howard out. That is a way of
helping the community here," said Coulter.
Thompson and his helpers are local pioneers
in a movement that is literally springing up across North
America. So is Doreen Ojala.
She founded the Foodshed Project, based at
1960 Paris St., to help support the efforts of people like
Howard, and Aline Martin at the Balmoral community garden in
the Flour Mill area.
Ojala brought a concept, called foodshed, to
Canada three years ago. It's a way of seeing the big picture of
how food fits in with economy and environment.
"A foodshed is your local food system in a
defined geographical area," said Ojala.
She says that the Foodshed Project has not
only helped people, including children, grow nutritious food,
they've also published the Climate Friendly Shopping Planner to
encourage more local food production.
"This guide, available at Market Square, is a
way to get people to think about where their food comes from
outside of Sudbury, what environmental impacts there are from
transporting that food long distances, what food is offered
locally and tips on meal planning."
Ojala, as part of a planning group, is
working on a food security conference to be held in November to
help various stakeholders better understand issues relating to
food insecurity and how to solve them.
Phone 523-2567 or visit
www.foodshedproject.ca