Sometimes it's best to stop and take a rest to avoid falling off a cliff.
I am taking a break from weekly posts at eatkamloops.org. I was wondering if any LOCAL people would like to do a guest post? A guest post can be about:
- discovering local, healthy food sources
- learning about traditional foods and food preparation
- experiences about cultivation of heirloom seeds and heritage breeds
- becoming aware of regional and national food security issues
- lobbying for freedom in food preparation and commerce
Back in February 15, 2009 I wrote a post called Vision of an Urban Homestead. Personally, I am still committed to this vision, but this vision needs to spread beyond the personal to the community to be successful. Here is my vision. Maybe it can be your vision too:
I see a city where in every neighborhood there is at least one person committed to knowing everything that is produced in the local area. That person would also be committed to teaching others how to produce a garden suitable for the local conditions and how to introduce animals and fowl into the urban landscape safely and without conflict.
Groups of people would join together to change local bylaws to bring local, unsprayed food and free-range animals back into our individual control. This means overturning laws that criminalize people for producing certain food and trading or selling to neighbors.
Groups of neighbors would exchange the bounty of their yards with other neighbors. This community of interested people would be committed to safe, nutritious and local food. There may be some foods that cannot be produced in the city and the community would support the local ranchers and farmers where possible.
There would also be members of the community that would not be interested or able to grow a garden or raise livestock. The ranchers and farmers would produce their food. The food the city person buys would keep the farmers and ranchers in business, along with keeping their knowledge alive for another generation.
I would like to see this structure spread from neighborhood to neighborhood, city to city and across the country.
Here is a view from Mount Tod at Sunpeaks, BC. The best rest is with a view.
