Local food first

Pam and i have been reading Bill McKibben's Deep Economy – which i highly recommend for those who are looking forward to life ‘after growth’. That's the title of his first chapter; the second is about the local food movement, which is well under way all over the world. And none too soon either, since the global food system is especially vulnerable in its heavy reliance on oil and ground water – both of which are drying up – and on ecologically unsustainable practices. (It's a major contributor to climate change, too.) The system is also artificially propped up by subsidies to the corporations who profit from their near-monopoly control of both ‘inputs’ and marketing. Besides, industrial food was never very good (though cheap and plentiful), and the move toward local food is one of the most visible signs of the Manitoulin Uprising. The Farmer's Markets have been growing for several years now, providing food lovers with access to local organic produce. Then there's Loonsong Garden, the Community Shared Agriculture project started several years ago by Paul Salanki and Heather Thoma. Along with several other local food growers, some with many years of experience, this is a start toward a made-on-Manitoulin food system that could outlast the industrial food system. But there's still a long way to go before we Islanders will be ready to kick the industrial-food addiction. I expect that local food will be a major topic on this blog in the coming year. There's so much to say that i hardly know where to start … suggestions are welcome, and contributions from others even more so! Just click the ‘comment’ button below and write us a note, if you want to volunteer (or just comment).