Food is more than what we put on the table, stuff in our gullets, grab at the fast-food eatery, share with friends, or toss out when it spoils.
Food weaves through all of life, from the soil, water and air that nurture a seed through the thoughtful preparation and consumption of a flavourful meal.
After years of working with communities and organizations on food systems issues, I have an undiminished passion for learning about food – how it is grown and raised and harvested, how it travels from field to table, how we prepare it, and what we can learn from indigenous peoples.
There are thousands of Web sites carrying news about these topics, but I’m going to recommend two in particular because I have a personal link to them. Bits & Bytes is “a living, ever-growing cornucopia of freely-accessible, community food security resources.” A colleague and I wrote the proposal to obtain initial funding for this site.
The second site is the BC Food Security Gateway, a provincial Web portal funded by the Provincial Health Services Authority and hosted by the Public Health Association of British Columbia. I’ve been content editor from the start and can guarantee the site is packed with easy-to-access, useful information, as well as news that’s updated regularly.
Cathryn Wellner
Hi Carolyn and Robin! I have just finished reading your blog but especially like what you had to say about food making it sound very glamorous and exciting. I agree with your every word. Have a wonderful journey and come back safely.
Hugs, Mary
Oops – my last e-mail said Carolyn and I mispelled it. Should have been Cathryn. Sorry!
Dear Cathryn and Robin,
Last night Hylton told me how to get into your blog. I don’t know why I didn’t try before, but I am now late for everything this morning because I found it so interesting. I tried in vain to find out if your state room was ever changed or cleaned enough for you. Maybe you have taken up smoking! Hylton also told me about your brother Cathyn, and I’m so sorry to hear that he passed away. I’m sure you have had some very sad times thinking about him now. We have missed you here, but I’m glad now I can check in on you whenever. (I just have to schedule some computer time for you!)
I’ll write again next time I’m on-line.
Love Chris
Hello again!
Joan is beginning to feel much better, and celebrated by making two giant “cauldrons” of multi-vegetable soup (veg. from Urban Harvest), and another of beef and barley. Lots of good meals in the freezer now.
Your descriptions of “eating your way across the world” have piqued my interest in food, which I have a long habit of mostly ignoring.
I even pictured the pleasure of the sheep, eating the tasty golf-course grass. So much better than mowing with machines: perhaps the idea will catch on?
I wondered about the diet of the inhabitants of “Rotten Row” (long may these little places survive). Recently, a fine CBC documentary showed the hard-scrabble life of immigrant Toronto families from Wales: every cabbage, every carrot was a treasure. The economic crash has the potential of teaching us true values. Already, I’m tending to look at things differently. “Live simply, and share.”
.. Last week’s Goods and Services cleared over $4,000! D. and J.
Hi Cathryn and Robin,
I just finished having some wonderful Elk meat and rice for dinner along with carrots from my garden that have lasted in fridge all winter. I am so thankful to have the good food and also thankful to have you as friends. I would like to have more time to check into your blog and write intelligible things, but I have been spending long days on the computer with my work and my eyeballs are starting to feel like they are going to pop.
Anyways, I am feeling like things are progressing in the realm of Indigenous food sovereignty, and I was wondering if you have had the opportunity to savour any flavours of the indigenous diet in Australia?
Love,
Dawn
Hi Cathryn and Robin
Chappy and Josh waited eagerly for their pictures to appear as promised. Love reading about where you have been , and seeing faces that we know too, and yes agree with some of the others Robin was the best tour guide that we have ever had too, his knowledge on all parts of Canada was fascinating, and your love of Animals Cathryn touched me greatly , I hope you have lots of luck in what ever you do, and may Health and Laughter follow you both wherever you finish up.
Kind Regards
Adriana Harwood
Hi Cathryn and Robin.
Just to let you know that we had a reunion on Friday night at the Bulldogs and Geelong match with Wayne and Colleen from WA and Graham and Lynn Drysdale and Rosana and Joseph Point Lonsdale, we were lucky to win the game,a great night was had by all, next day they all came down to Leopold to our winter garden for a Pizza and Bbq Lunch which lasted 6 hours we nudged the Red wine Cathryn and some lovely Italian sparkly and the boys went thru a few VBs Joseph bought down some lovely butterflyd lamb chops and Italian sausage and He cooked them while I made the Pizzas,Milton supervised while drinking the red wine and learning how to cook the bottom of the Pizza just right,pays to have an Italian for a very good friend, followed by a lovely Italian tourte of special cherries and almond base and a big platter of cheese and fruit, Hope you are hungry now, we are going to make it a yearly thing.see you then Love Adriana and Milton Chappy and Joshy miss you both,as we do too.