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From farm gate to dinner plate

The slow food movement is sweeping across the world today. The movement started when a McDonalds restaurant opened in Italy in 1986. Carlo Petrini, an Italian journalist, was horrified. He launched a grass roots revolution in food politics that now has 83,000 members and spread to more than 100 countries. Petrini’s goal was to combine the sensual pleasures of good food with people concerned about the social and ecological implications of the erosion of the traditional methods of food production. Petrini called the movement slow food.

Slow food Nova Scotia began in May 2003. It has 80 members and growing. The leader of the movement is Brian Kienapple. Brian believes in “buying local produce and keeping the traditions and culture alive.” Slow food is getting attention from supporters in Nova Scotia.

We enhance job creation and food security when we support local growers. It is a good example of fair trade. If food grown in California is cheaper than food grown in the valley, then it requires unsustainable water, depletes the soil, and uses unfair labor standards. We are willing to pay a premium for the stone ground and grains from a bioregional co-op like Speerville Mills because the nutritional food value is higher.

The slow food movement thrives at the Farmers Markets in Halifax, Dartmouth and Your Village Market in Upper Tantallon and other Markets in the region.

Katherine Williams manages Your Village Market, which specializes in Organic Fair Trade Food. It offers an array of produce, meat, dairy products, and arts and crafts. Katherine knows her suppliers have genuine certified organic fair trade and free range. She makes a priority to become familiar with farmers and suppliers across the province. The phone number is (902) 826-7077. You can find them at 5229 St. Margaret’s Bay Road and the website is www.yourvillagemarket.ca.

The Dartmouth Farmers Market is celebrating thirty years of success. It is open daily from 8am to 1pm. Organic fruits and vegetables, smoked meats, baked foods, plants and crafts are available. Permanent retailers and featured vendors are accessible at 2 Ochterloney Street, Alderney Landing. The website is www.nsfarmersmarkets.ca.

Halifax Farmers Market bustles on Saturday mornings from 8am to 1pm. The market will be relocating to Pier 21 in June 2008 and be open seven days a week. There are a variety of plants, crafts and jewelry. Popular musicians play for crowds eating enticing Indian bread or sweet cinnamon buns at the Brewery Market, 1496 Lower Water Street. The website is www.halifaxfarmersmarket.com.

Geordie Ochterloney began Home Grown Organic Foods to support local farmers. They offer home delivery of weekly food boxes, locally grown free-range eggs, and other organic foods. Whole foods and produce such as free-range meats arrive from Acadiania Soy Products, Speerville Farmers, Cosman and Whidden. You can find them at 6186 Allan Street in Halifax and the number is 492-1412. Their website is www.hgof.ns.ca.

The Grainery Food Cooperative is a non-profit volunteer run organization committed to providing locally grown and organic food that is nutritious, tasty and affordable. Look for them at 2395 Agricola Street and at the Halifax Farmers Market. The phone number is 446-3301. All year people flock to the Markets for guaranteed organic veggies, meats and cheese.

The movement here is seeing more organic restaurants, health food stores and new distribution systems for farmers. Vendors can inform consumers what grains they fed to their chickens and cows, where and how the animals live. Consumers know the food contains no added hormones, no antibiotics, and no chemical pesticides. Chickens or cows are not confined to a small cell indoors and are free-range.

Home Grown Organics, Chives and The Tempest restaurants are dedicated to the farmers who supply them with locally grown, fresh food. They make the time to buy from the farmers. This is an example of the success and support being shown for slow foods.

For you coffee fans, Just Us Coffee is a worker owned co-op and believes in “people and the planet before profits.” Their coffee is certified organic, packaged fresh and the beans are grown without chemicals. Most cafes in Nova Scotia carry Just Us Coffee and can also be bought at Superstore, Sobeys, and Just Us Coffee at 1678 Barrington Street. The website is www.justuscoffee.com.

A pet owner will find irresistible treats for their pet at Katie’s Farm Organic Dog Bakery. It is the only certified organic dog food bakery in Nova Scotia. The grains come from Speerville Mills. The biscuits and delicious treats are made with free-range garlic, herbs and mushrooms, what no dog could resist. Katie’s Organic Dog Bakery is based in Clam Harbor, NS. The phone number is (902) 845-2093. It is available at the Farmers Market and nearby locations.

Opting for a diet of organic food may seem like a big decision. The results are a healthier lifestyle and making wiser choices in what you consume. Two good books to read are The Eco-Foods Guide by Cynthia Barstow and The 100 Mile Diet by Smith and Mackinnon. To learn more about organic farming in our region, check out the Canadian Organic Growers at http://www.cog.ca or browse at a market and ask vendors about their products. A consumer has the right to question the vendors to know they are buying certified organic food.

Mike McGlone’s goal (Mike the Fish Guy) for the last year has been to consume produce and other goods only from the Halifax Farmers Market. Mike is determined to remain true to his plan despite obstacles and talked to vendors on ideas for recipes. Mike’s goal proves that we don’t need to depend on fast food.

There are McDonald’s restaurants in 120 countries around the world feeding 54 million customers a day. Kentucky Fried Chicken and Wendy’s Restaurant also promote fast food and force chickens to live in inhumane conditions. The statistics are alarming and clearly demonstrates the percentage of fast food being offered that lacks nutrition and tastes the exact same. Superstore on Quinpool stocks a small amount of locally grown organic food, for ex, Speerville Mills and Just Us Coffee. The majority of bulk is brought from California or Toronto. More needs to be done for our food system and local farmers.

A meeting was held at the Dartmouth Farmers Market on June 12, 2007 led by Crystal Carruthers. The main discussion was how to bring more primary agricultural producers into our community of Farmers Markets. A meeting like this ensures the farmers can meet the demands of the public for sustainable food. The food producers and the Farmers’ Markets combine efforts and depend on the involvement of communities to remain successful.

The future of locally made, organic, slow food grows brighter as people gain awareness of what is happening to our food today. If you want to learn more about slow food in Nova Scotia the website to check out is http://www.slowfoodns.ca. Now grab your cloth grocery bags and head to your nearest Farmers Market.

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Heddy Johannesen is a Halifax-based freelance writer. She enjoys the Halifax Farmers Market and buys fresh organic veggies for her pet guinea pigs.

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