Subject:
REACT 2008 Article Series - Article #10
Summary:
VOICES – Innovation and Action in Antigonish Taps Desire for Local Food
Date Created:
10/07/2008
Last Modified
10/07/2008
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|  | VOICES – Innovation and Action in Antigonish Taps Desire for Local Food
 Christine Johnson, VOICE Antigonish
Voices is a volunteer, community-based advocacy group with the mission to have fresh, locally produced food available and accessible in Antigonish. Voices was formed in 2004 in response to the closure of the last downtown grocery store and engaged in advocacy efforts to raise awareness of the economic and health issues related to the lack of food access in the downtown area. Voices has the following goals as they relate to food security:
- To support local agriculture to stimulate food self sufficiency in the region
- To support the Antigonish Farmer’s Market & other local food initiatives
- To provide education regarding the importance of fresh, local produce
- To contribute to the sustainability of our communities
- To advocate!
In April, 2007 Voices held a community forum to discuss food security issues in Antigonish. Over 55 people attended the session to discuss "Food in our Community". From these discussions there was a strong call to action and great interest in strengthening the local food system and access by engaging in alternative strategies for obtaining local food. Two strategies which seemed to garner the most support and interest included Good Food Box projects and Community Gardening. Based on a needs assessment a pilot project called the Good Food Box Program was started in partnership with the Braemore Co-op in October of 2007 and ran until December. This project served to engage a new cast of volunteers and “friends of Voices”. The Food Box includes a supply of locally produced and fresh produce for pick-up and/or delivery from the local Co-op. The pilot program resulted in 5 deliveries over a 10 week period of locally produced foods (grown in Nova Scotia) delivered to central pick up locations for approximately 35 customers / households. The pilot project helped in working out the logistics, to gauge community interest, and assessing the feasibility of the local market’s ability to supply the demand. The pilot also demonstrated to the producers that they could plan in advance so they could supply the food box program. In 2008, the GFB program has been extended from July until December with approximately 30 customers / households. The two recent deliveries have included foods all grown within Antigonish County. The GFB program also produces a flyer which includes recipes to educate customers on how to use their seasonal food and features a profile on the producers who are supplying for the box. This year volunteers are allowed to barter their time in packing so they can receive a food box in return.
In the winter of 2008 Voices held another public forum “Antigonish Stir-Fry”, to provide an update on the GFB program, to learn about community gardening and to engage in community members in further action. Two grants to support community gardening were secured and space was offered by the Farm and Garden Co-op. Eight 4’X 8’ raised beds were constructed behind the co-op store with 8 gardens and another 5’x30’ raised bed was constructed on the St. F. X campus that has 6 gardens. These gardens are helping to increase access to land to grow food locally as well as increase knowledge and skill around gardening and using foods that are grown. Many participants are growing for their own consumption, one is growing to supply a local restaurant and some foods will be used in a free hot meal program and/or donated to the food bank. Other projects and joint initiatives of Voices (via its connection to the departments of human nutrition and nursing at St.F.X) include engaging in research on the issue of food security locally. One project aims to map the rates of food insecurity and food access issues in the Town of Antigonish. Another project looks at creating an asset map of community food security resources and using focus groups to start dialogue among producers, consumers, and community organizations on strengthening the food system. In a third project, research and service learning are integrated into the community gardening which will result in an evaluation of the community gardens and assessment of their contribution to food security in Antigonish.
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