Urban Project Descriptions

Cross-Regional and Broader Issues Project Descriptions

Northern Project Descriptions

Rural Project Descriptions

Tzotzil woman on a street in San Cristobal

We visited indigenous groups including Zapatista communities to witness successful examples of indigenous systems of governance, education, health and food security. For example, Zapatista communities are developing co-ops where everyone has a share in the coffee production system and we saw that families still plant “La Milpa” or the equivalent of the traditional three sister planting combination of squash, beans and corn.   The conference was an excellent environment to re-think our position on these matters and to bring more accountability to our studies and the work of professional planners. I really think these are the kind of discussions that should be promoted in academia and at the government level in Manitoba. In Manitoba there is a need to change the negative perception of indigenous peoples so exchange programs, conference and open discussions are excellent opportunities to non-natives to start a decolonization process.    At the conference, I had the opportunity to present my video titled “Harvesting Hope in Northern Manitoba Communities”. Harvesting Hope tells the stories of Aboriginal peoples struggling to access healthy food in Northern Manitoba communities. Despite the grinding poverty, isolation and many other barriers to accessing healthy food, people in Northern communities are growing hope. The video was very well received and most of the speakers, students requested a second view and some copies for further distributions.  I believe that the information shared at the conference will transcend and improve our understanding of indigenous cultures.

This article was written by Vanessa Lozecznick. She is the Northern Healthy Foods Initiative Project Coordinator for the Northern Association of Community Councils. She is currently completing a video looking at intentional, sustainable communities in Manitoba.

A Community Food Assessment Consultation with Newcomers

Stefan Epp, the coordinator for the project has been looking into the demographics and history of the neighbourhood . He has been examining issues like obesity, food waste, agriculture, food access and community resources. In gathering all this information he explained that student involvement has been important because there is only so much staff time that can be allocated for the project.

The St. Vital Community Food Assessment has been the first major project that MAFRA has been able to connect to a large number of students in order to provide research support. Two classes at the University of Manitoba are doing course assignments that will feed directly into the community food assessment.  A course called the Social Geography of the Environment will be doing class projects focusing on food costing in St. Vital compared to other areas of Winnipeg and one project having to do with farming and gardening in St. Vital.

Next semester there will be a Food Geographies course doing a food consultation with a St. Vital community organization to determine what kind of food programming is needed and what direction it should take.  This kind of research will help to further the work that Food Matters has started in the neighbourhood and will help provide more information to accompany the Community Food Assessment Report.

An Apple Tree in St. Vital's Public Orchard

When asked about the important findings at this point in the project Stefan Epp commented “We’ve learned that there are significant food issues even in a suburban neighbourhood. There are a lot of people doing food related worked who may be as plugged into the food network as people who are working on food in the inner city. It’s my hope that the assessment report can be used as a tool by organizations who are interested in doing food work.”

The Food Matters St. Vital Food Assessment Report will be available on the Food Matters Manitoba website early in 2012.

Title Photo used from the Lance Newspaper.

Author Anna Weier lives in Winnipeg’s Spence Neighbourhood where this summer her apple tree produced 3 apples.  Anna works at the University of Manitoba for the  Manitoba Alternative Food Research Alliance.

The rural ‘Homegrown Leaders’ project provided an amazing learning opportunity for 12 rural Manitoban youth. The youth participated in hands-on workshops, farm tours and had discussions about their experiences. They also helped to plan and lead a day camp for children and made presentations regarding rural youth and the next generation of farmers to a University of Manitoba class learning about rural communities.

The Homegrown Leaders group with the completed solar food dehydrators that they built

The coordinator of the Harvest Moon Society project, Michelle Schram said “I was hoping (the project) would raise some awareness with youth about food systems issues and give them an opportunity to be more engaged in their community.” From their feedback it is clear that the youth learned a lot. One of the participants commented “Being a part of this program definitely made me respect small scale farmers and rural communities a lot more”. Another said “I have now made suggestions for my farm to change (based on)…things that I have learned.” After the summer program, many of the youth took on new food related projects. One youth was inspired to get Berkshire pigs and to start raising pastured pork on his farm and another wants to start a community garden in her rural town.

The Winnipeg inner city ‘Community Gardens and Land Tenure’ project led by the Urban Greenspaces Coalition has spent the summer and fall supporting food skills workshops and events such as berry picking, pumpkin canning and the extremely popular Inner City Community Garden Bike and Bus tour. This year because of a community artist incorporating living, growing, plant based furniture into some of the community gardens there were even more excited tour participants than normal.

A group of West End residents picking raspberries

The community gardens visited on the Community Garden Bike and Bus Tour are mostly on city owned land with insecure lease agreements and so the long-term work to support these gardens involves achieving secure land tenure. Thus, the ‘Community Gardens and Land Tenure’ project is researching the possibility of creating an urban land trust for community garden plots in Winnipeg. Robyn Webb, coordinator of the project says “for a group who are predominantly interested in community gardens, it is good that we are now delving into the world of real estate and law.”  Although, they are not yet sure from a legal stand point if an urban community garden land trust is possible, they are learning more about engaging with the city on this issue and have even gone so far as to begin looking into the possibility of changing the provincial Conservation Act to allow for a wider definition of conservation lands that would include community gardens.

The Food Justice Community Round Table hosted by Turtle Lodge in Sagkeeng First Nation brought together food-interested folks and Indigenous People from across Canada. Their aim was to bring information together and then to use that information and the experiences and stories in the room to have a discussion about food justice and how it can be supported in Indigenous communities in Canada.  Many powerful stories were shared.

Dace Courchene from Turtle Lodge, who lead the Round Table

Elder Harvey Knight from Muskoday First Nation, Saskatchewan, who came to speak and share his experience, commented that “Part of the agricultural practices of Indigenous people has always been ceremony. People would do ceremony to honour the Spirit who takes care of the plant – prayers would be done for the protection of the plant. This was done with the understanding that when the time came, that plant would give the people life.” This year at the Round Table the group came to a great understanding of Spirit. There are also plans to host another Round Table in the coming year to help create a vision that will lead to direct actions.

The first year of MAFRA funded projects has been really exciting and we are glad to be embarking on that process again. The MAFRA 2012 call for community proposals has gone out and applications are due on January 15^th. As in the previous year, each of the three (urban, rural, and urban) regions will be evaluated separately by adjudication committees dominated by community members. However, a fourth cross-regional category has been created in order to support and projects that facilitate networking among these regions, networking that arguably fell between the cracks last year. For more information about the call for proposals or MAFRA in general, contact the MAFRA Coordinator (Anna Weier) at weier@cc.umanitoba.ca

So what are you paying more for?  Some big price increases have been in vegetables – potatoes have jumped in price by 25% and lettuce by 17%.  Other veggies haven’t increased as much, but will still pinch your wallet if you’re trying to eat healthy.  Flour and bread are the other big price jumps as is beef.  So if you were hoping to put together a classic meal of meat and potatoes with some bread and salad on the side, it looks like you’ll be paying a whole lot more than what you did last year.

Are there some bargains out there?  You bet!  Preserved fruit has dropped in price, as has rice.  Relative to inflation, fish is a bargain, as are items like milk and apples.

It’s important to add that just because food prices go up does not mean that farmers are getting rich.  Input costs for farmers – gasoline, fertilizer, etc – has gone up in price too, often more than the price they are getting for their product.  When there is more money being made it is the middlemen that benefit the most.  So cheap food isn’t necessarily the answer here.

What does this mean for our provincial election?  It’s hard to say.  Provinces have very little, well actually no say in the prices we pay for food at the grocery store.

But here is a thought.  One of the reasons why food prices have jumped is the cost of gasoline.  Potatoes and wheat flour are things that we produce in great abundance in Manitoba.  If we want to pay less for transporting our food, why don’t we buy it from closer to home?  This is where our provincial government can play a role.  They can help make those connections and develop that infrastructure.  If food prices continue to rise, this is a way to support our local farmers, while ensuring that our food is not dependent on a long distance transportation system that requires ever more expensive fuel to operate.

Food prices are something that affects all of us.  This year ask your candidates what they plan to do about rising food prices – and suggest investing in our local food economy as a solution.  Together, we can put food on the provincial election plate.

Find out more about food in the Manitoba provincial election at www.votefoodmanitoba.ca.  This article was written by Stefan Epp, Evaluation Coordinator for Food Matters Manitoba.

Across Canada, provincial and territorial governments have developed unique approaches to create food secure communities.  Whether they promote local food, develop anti-poverty initiatives, or launch healthy eating campaigns, provincial and territorial governments have the capacity to play a very positive role in improving Canada’s food security.  Initiatives require other governmental and non-governmental partners as well, but provincial governments have the fiscal and human resources to be a major catalyst for healthier, more sustainable food systems.

Investments in food security policies can have many benefits for a province or territory.  Local food markets keep money in local communities, create jobs, and support the economy.  Investments in sustainable agricultural production support healthy environments and ecosystems.  And work that promotes healthy eating saves money that would be spent on preventable diseases such as diabetes or heart disease.

Despite these benefits, not all Canadian governments have taken equal initiative.  Some have done little work on food security or have done so in a piecemeal manner.  There are still opportunities to grow and expand upon the items in this document.  We have much to learn from the United States, Europe, and countries in the Global South.  Meanwhile, those outside government need to continue pushing governments to implement policies that create healthier economies, healthier environments, and healthier communities.  A lot of good work has been done, but there is still a long way to go.

Provincial Approaches to Food Security was prepared by Food Matters Manitoba and the Manitoba Alternative Food Research Alliance.

In my yard I was fortunate enough to find at lease five varieties of edible “weed” (as well as a few self-seeded heads of lettuce).  In recent years I have been fortunate enough to attend a few different workshops and courses given by Laura Reeves who teaches about wild edibles and I remember her saying that it is easy to get overwhelmed by the number of edible plants that one could identify and it’s a good idea to start with a few and get to know them well. Below, you will find the five that I am currently getting to know. Also, just a caution, in the beginning when choosing the wild edibles that you would like to get to know, it is good to be careful of the plants that are edible, but that have poisonous doppelgangers.

A Patch of Jerusalem Artichoke growing in one of my raised beds.

Jerusalem Artichoke
One of my raised beds is filled with Jerusalem Artichokes. I had been thinking that I wanted to get my hands on some Jerusalem Artichoke to give it a try and it turns out that I had it in my yard and I was weeding it all along. I still have not decided whether I am going to keep them in this spot or not. They are in a bed that is usually a prime space for my annual vegetable garden. I have been told that in order to harvest them you need to leave them until well into the fall and then you harvest the tubers and use them instead of potatoes. I tried to do a potato barrel last year and it did not work, so maybe I should stick with the weedy Jerusalem Artichoke. They have beautiful yellow flowers and they can also be pickled or sliced and eaten in salads.

Oxalis

Oxalis
My garden also has Yellow Wood Sorrel, also known as Oxalis. It has a slightly sour or lemony taste and the heart shaped leaves can be used in salads or to make an iced tea. Consuming large amounts of Oxalis over an extended period of time can impede your body’s ability to absorb calcium, so you wouldn’t want to use it as your only green, but it would add a very nice flavour to a salad. The plants are very attractive and make a nice addition to the garden.

Chick Weed
My yard is full of chickweed and my quail love it. It is a very mild green that can be used in salads or served as a steamed green. It is also quite pretty and serves as a kind of ground cover in my yard.

Chickweed

Lamb’s Quarters or Pigweed

Lamb's Quarters growing on a path in my backyard.

Lamb’s Quarters plants to me look a lot like quinoa and they also has some of the same uses. The leaves can be served as steamed greens and the seeds can be milled for flour or boiled and eaten as a breakfast cereal.

Dandelions
I am sure that many people can already identify dandelions and perhaps are aware that they are edible. The leaves can be used as a salad green and the roots can be dried and used to make a coffee substitute.

I encourage you to go out into your yard and see if you can find any of the above mentioned edible plants or find and identify others that you could potentially use in the kitchen.

Some of the information provided about the plants was found in Perterson Field Guides – Edible and Wild Plants (Eastern/Central North America).

Anna Weier is a harvester of weeds who lives in Winnipeg and works for the Manitoba Alternative Food Research Alliance.

Once the permitting process is complete, a greenhouse will be constructed along the back of the school. This will provide space and a nurturing environment for seedlings before they are planted outside. These seedlings will be destined for one of two gardens. The Community Garden will be accessible to community members and visitors to the Learning Centre and be watered by a rainwater catchment system that will be built as a part of a workshop this summer.

The second garden has been called the Secret Garden, but will not remain a secret for long! With a “Chicken Moat” around the perimeter, the Secret Garden is protected from deer by the double fence that serves as a home for the laying chickens. The chickens provide manure that is high in essential elements for healthy soil and also eat up insects and veggie scraps, loosen up the soil with their pecking, and lay eggs. But that is just the moat…wait till you step inside the Secret Garden…Straw-covered paths throughout the Secret Garden will take you through attractive perennial beds to a Three Sisters garden intercrops corn, beans and squash. First Nations across North America recognize the beneficial relationships between these crops: the three sisters create a community in which each plant is beneficial to the others. The corn tall in the centre of each mound, the squash sprawls around the corn preventing the growth of weeds and the beans climb up the corn while fixing nitrogen to the soil. This tradition of companion planting provides us with a healthy harvest while building the soil for years to come.

Behind the Three Sisters will be a guilded orchard. Fruit-bearing trees not only provide refreshing fruits, but also shade for smaller plants to grow beneath them. Plants and trees can benefit from each other by attracting or deterring insects or animals and by taking in different nutrients at different times. Because of differing root systems, fruit guilds allow for more intensive planting so that the smaller plants and the fruit trees don’t compete with each other but rather co-operate and also provide fruit for us to eat.

A permaculture garden would not be complete without uniquely shaped garden beds. The middle of the Secret Garden is a veggie bed shaped life a leaf with the veins as pathways so gardeners can easily reach all of the beds. In the fall, you can expect a wide array of veggies: arugula, beets, carrots, cucumber, kale, lettuce, peas and so much more. Enjoy seasonally all summer and watch for canning workshops this fall!

Beside the Leaf is a raspberry patch and a Herb Spiral. The Herb Spiral is a mound one meter high that maximizes the use of space while creating microclimates so that the herbs can all enjoy their favourite environments. Rosemary enjoys the sun on top. Chives get more moisture lower down, and thyme and oregano get the both shade and sun on the west and east sides. The fruits, veggies and herbs of the Secret Garden will be used in workshops at the Harvest Moon Learning Centre and provide healthy local ingredients for meals and edible merchandise at the Harvest Moon Festival and other events.

Walking down the hill from the Secret Garden, you will find the lunar garlic patch. The moon’s gravitational pull is linked to the tides and, even through we are in the middle of the continent, the level of water in the soil. We can use the phases of the moon to determine the best times for planting and harvesting. The garlic will be rotated through three well-drained beds and after it is cured in the fall it will be enjoyed throughout the winter. Look for garlic for sale at the Harvest Moon Festival Septemer 16-19!

At the bottom of the permaculture demonstration centre is the Prairie Restoration site. This section of garden beds nestled around the Willa Villa cabin and the sweat lodge will be home to a wide variety of plants that are native to prairielands but have largely been outcompeted by other species. Species of grass, such as Little Bluestem, will be seeded along with Purple Prairie Clover and Black-Eyed Susan. Plants that have a variety of medicinal uses will be planted in a Medicinal Spiral while woody perennials will form a deer fence and surround a bog of wetland plants.

This transformation from fields of grass to garden beds involves a lot of work! As a part of the Harvest Moon Society’s commitment to building relationships between urban and rural communities, a Work Bee weekend in mid-May brought 30 new and seasoned Mooners together to get these projects started. The amount of work accomplished and sense of co-operation was reminiscent of a barn raising. The Work Bee was an opportunity for Winnipeggers to visit Clearwater and hike the Lessons from the Land Trail. Days of hard work were concluded with by gathering round a campfire to chat and sing along with some talented musicians.

The last Work Bee was so much fun, we just had to do it again! Friday June 17 to Sunday June 19, come on down to the Harvest Moon Learning Centre in Clearwater to continue to work on these numerous exciting projects. If you are interested in participating, check out the Facebook event HMS Work Bee Weekend for more details and to figure out car-pooling. Camping available and all meals potluck style. This is a great chance to learn about the Harvest Moon Society and be a part of the development of Manitoba’s first Permaculture Design Site! All are welcome! Hope to see you there!

Click for more info about the Harvest Moon Society!

Written by Laura Husak. Laura is a research assistant working on a research project exploring local food, food sovereignty and rural adaptation. She enjoys spending time at the Harvest Moon Learning Centre in Clearwater, Manitoba.

I had the great fortune of being able to host a workshop for the youth that were attending the conference. The purpose of the workshop was to create a website/blog where the students from different schools would be able to update each other about their northern growing successes and lessons learned. Many of the students involved in the workshop were learning about gardening for the first time and they used the blogging opportunity to share what they knew about gardening or to explain their schools’ future garden plans. The blog posts are accented with beautiful shots that a few of the students took of the gorgeous looking plants that were growing in the Leaf Rapids school. It is definitely worth it to check out the “Getting Food Growing Up North” blog. And hopefully in weeks and months to come we will see more about the amazing school gardens that are getting growing up north.

Anna Weier is a southern gardener working for MAFRA and learning more and more about all the amazing food growing projects across Manitoba.