Farm to Table - The 100 mile Diet

Denzy is a senior in high school interested in advocating for the Cowichan community.

It’s hard to believe that common fruits and veggies like bananas and broccoli weren’t available on Vancouver Island - or anywhere in Canada - half a century ago. Our society has become so unconsciously reliant on international food suppliers that most of us don’t even know where our food comes from. In turn, locally sourced produce has become less accessible. It’s easy to get discouraged by high food prices and unpredictable supply chains within the community. However, it is still important to support our farmers and eat locally sourced food. It is estimated over half of Canadian produce goes to waste. A large chunk of this statistic can be attributed to big-box retailers that flood the country with imported produce, kicking local suppliers to the curb of the market. Over 35 million tons of Canadian food ends up in landfills each year. The environment is screaming for solutions to our economyinduced turmoil and the locally made movement might just be the answer to a future of food sustainability.

The evolution of the supermarket began in the 1950’s when large grocery stores began ordering produce from national suppliers due to their lower prices. This switched the narrative for small scale markets from a common necessity to a pricey privilege. Big supermarkets don’t need high price tags because they cheat the system by using cheap oil, underpaid workers, and government subsidies for commodity crops. Society unfortunately, yet understandably, adapted in favor of the affordable alternative. Finding locally sourced food became an unprioritized inconvenience for many shoppers. The 100 mile diet quietly transformed into a 1500 mile diet in one swift movement. Food miles can have devastating impacts on the environment. Food transportation is a contributing force for climate change. Food miles from planes, trains, and automobiles degrade air quality and increase greenhouse gasses. Once carbon is emitted, it gets trapped in the atmosphere, contributing to global warming. Crop failures are largely influenced by climate change. It’s impossible to ensure sustainability if our environment is constantly being manipulated. Adapting to a farm to table diet would be extremely beneficial for our environment and the food that we grow in it.

Health is another key aspect of eating locally. Nationally imported produce has to be shipped thousands of miles just to reach the shelves at our grocery stores. This food is depleted of the nutrients found in seasonal fresh produce grown within the community. Eating food with high nutritional value is essential for a proper vitamin intake. Local fruit is allowed to ripen naturally, whereas many imported fruits that are out of season may have been artificially ripened with ethylene gas. Generally, it is common for small scale farms to use far fewer chemicals and pesticides than larger, industrialized farms. Avoiding unnecessary chemicals is a safer option for a healthier diet.

Food security and sustainability relies heavily on the local economy. Local businesses are usually more community oriented. They serve as patrons to society by supporting each other and boosting the local economy. Chain businesses aren’t usually as invested in buying local. They can be more concerned with building big profits by accumulating cheaper corporate suppliers. Your money builds the backbone of society’s systems. Question the influence that it is having on society and put it towards the things that you believe in. Don’t overlook the impact of your spending; every penny is a vote.

The 100 mile diet is a courageous undertaking. It requires personal accountability, compassion, and inspiration for a community oriented society. The farm to table movement is a great way of reducing your personal carbon footprint, supporting local businesses, and eating nutrient rich foods. Understandably, not everyone has all of the resources required to eat entirely organically. However, everyone has the ability to be mindful and choose to contribute to a sustainable future. The 100 mile diet is a great challenge for anyone willing to hold themselves accountable for supporting their communities and the environment they live in.

Our mandate at Cowichan Green Community is to improve food security by developing local capacity for food production, supporting equitable access, and strengthening our community’s health and resilience through food.

If you are looking for locally grown food, resources or information on food security in our region, visit www. cowichangreencommunity.org, reference the free local farm map, attend the Duncan Farmers Market on Saturdays, or browse the online farmers market www.cow-op.ca.