Planting seeds for the future
City of Charlottetown event encourages people to learn to grow their own food
The city of Charlottetown is encouraging people to grow their own food by giving out free seeds.
The Charlottetown Food Council organized a community meal and seed giveaway event at the Founders’ Food Hall Demonstration Kitchen on May 4.
The event aimed to distribute seven types of vegetable seeds, including beets, carrots, lettuce, green onions and peas, so that people can grow their own food and learn how easy it is. Attendees were also offered free soups.
Tara Matheson, secretary of the food council board, said the event was intended to help people take small steps towards sustainability, prevent food waste and learn best practices for growing their own vegetables.
“You know the saying, 'Give a man a fish, he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish, he eats for a lifetime.' We hear all over that people are food insecure, and giving people the tools to grow their own food is really important to us." she said.
The community fridges, she said, are great, but if someone gets there and it's empty, it doesn't help.
"So, we want to make sure people can have access to food and maybe if they try growing some things, they might see how easy it is and try again.
So, we're trying to limit the financial investment that they might have to put forth to give it a try.”
The event saw dozens of people meet with staff members and get tips on bestgrowing practices for the seeds they received.
One of the attendees, Tina Sylvester, is just getting into growing her own food. She started last year but said she didn’t have any luck with the veggies she planted.
“That's why I came today. And (the staff member) was saying a lot had to do with the rain and the seasons last year.
So, I didn't realize that I could keep replanting throughout the season. So, I learned something new today.”
Sylvester said she is looking forward to practising with the growing tips and seeds she received and is hoping for a good harvest.
“With food insecurity and stuff right now, I think it's important for people to look at what options they have, and growing your own food is healthier. You know where it is being planted, you know where it's coming from, like your own backyard.”
The Charlottetown Food
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Council board, which started just before COVID-19, was disbanded at the time and re-emerged again just a few months ago. Matheson said this event is part of the many ways it plans to hear directly from residents about what
they want to see in their community.
“We want to see what their concerns are and how we might be able to help them. Maybe it's more community fridges, maybe it's different rules and regulations that we could put into place through city bylaws.”