9 Discovering Enough: Growing Food Locally
Perhaps the greatest question is, in a province with only 750,000 residents, why do New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island import 80% of the food they consume? Considering the food growing potential of the three maritime provinces, maritimers could be producing more of its annual food consumption and employing more of its citizens in this most basic of human needs. Currently, the GNB does very little to support or encourage small scale agricultural production for local consumption. It’s not as if the maritimes does not support large scale agriculture for processing and export as is evident with McCain Foods. In contrast, 85% of vegetable and fruit production in the former USSR came from 1 to 5 acre small farms. A province, region or country that is dependent on others to grow its food allows itself to become hostage to others for its basic needs.
Good economic investment strategies all recommend diversification. Smaller farms using sustainable organic practices can actually produce more crop per acre than large industrial farms using non-sustainable, chemically based fertilizers and herbicides.
In addition to developing food industries for exportation, good agricultural investment and policy requires developing and supporting local diversification.
Private gardens: Every household could be encouraged to have a small garden to supply the majority of their seasonal vegetables and fruits. These gardens could offer fresh, high quality produce for families and for sharing with their neighbours.
Neighbourhood or Community Gardens: Medium scale community gardens could be developed within convenient walking distance from homes to provide individual garden plots and to grow shared crops as well as provide park settings for recreation. To assure greater success, community gardens could be operated by a master gardener who directs and advises neighbourhood gardeners.
Regional Farms: Each village or city could support networks of local small farms that would provide produce and meat products for citizens that are less inclined or able to do their own gardening. Products could be distributed at farm stands, at farmers markets, and in CSA food boxes. Excess product could be farm or community processed for off-season consumption.
School science curriculum could include starting plants for neighbourhood gardens as well as acting as source for special fund raising. Such activities could be part of the daily academics as well as after school programs. Schools could become part of the community fabric providing an essential service back to the community. Gardens started by students on school grounds would be logical locations for neighbourhood gardens during the summer.
Good agricultural land needs to be set aside and protected form urban sprawl and development. The value to be gained from local production cannot be under estimated. Government programs and taxation schemes need to encourage rather than discourage local harvests.
One of a series of personal opinion pieces as to where New Brunswick could head in the future. With the effects of global climate change becoming more obvious each day and the need to leave fossil fuels in the ground becoming more imperative, these opinion pieces will put forth alternate ideas for job creation within a sustainable economy.
Richard Lachance
Cocagne NB
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