REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE & FOOD SYSTEMS

Board Update – Laura Kalina
The first meeting with the new Board happened in September and it was the biggest Board meeting yet, which is very exciting. Carole is doing an excellent job chairing. Several Board members and staff of KFPC participated in the Wild Salmon Caravan last week, a week-long celebration of wild salmon where more than 100 communities were involved. Much learning took place and inspiration to create our own KFPC banner. The felted roe that were created during September’s network meeting were worn in necklaces and fascinators — they looked phenomenal!

Staff Update
~ GAP, in its fifth year, has surpassed 100,000 pounds of fruit!!
~ A core team has started the planning process for a Household Food Insecurity Forum. They would like to engage with a larger network for this forum, so let us know if you would like to get involved.
~ Work has begun on a new Food Plan Implementation Project, which involves reviewing food policies from the City of Kamloops, TNRD, T’Kemlups and Skeetchesn comprehensive community plans. Plans have been requested from SD73, TRU, Interior Health and First Nations Health Authority. We are looking for a common aspiration to work on together and bring it to life.
~ Having a new website means that we have new emails: gleaning@kamloopsfoodpolicycouncil.com, se@kamloopsfoodpolicycouncil.com, and info@kamloopsfoodpolicycouncil.com

Community Spotlight
A panel of new additions to our local food system provided helpful perspectives on what regenerative agriculture and food systems are, what’s working well and what challenges they are facing. Caspian Acres raises sheep, pigs, ducks and laying hens in Cherry Creek. Hardy Hills Farm is in their first year of raising beef cows, sheep, and meat chickens while also growing a market garden in Chase Creek. The Social Enterprise project is working to find a place for the abundance of fruit in Kamloops while also generating income for KFPC programming so that it can be more self-sustaining.

Anastasia and Aras from Caspian Acres, AJ and Alicia from Hardy Hills Farm, and Greg from the Social Enterprise project discussed regenerative agriculture as a practice that will leave the land in better shape than how it was found, involves working with the land instead of on it or against it, working with the seasons, reducing food waste, caring for ecosystems and healing the land. For some on the panel, regenerative agriculture is seen as the only solution to our current predicament.

Hardy Hills is learning their land and animals and is amazed at the difference they’ve witnessed  with their chicken tractor. This is incredible after having been at their place for only five months! Their challenge is that they took on quite a bit (this is an understatement) for their first year of farming. Caspian Acres loves seeing the difference their pigs are making in breaking up their hard soil and leaving the “best garden ever!” in their wake. Their challenge has been with their soil and how difficult it is to grow things, as well as realizing that turkeys cannot be completely free range. Greg has been thoroughly enjoying working with the Social Enterprise volunteers and is learning a lot through the Purppl mentorship. A challenge for Social Enterprise is that it is still in its early stages, so is not quite sustaining itself yet.

The panel was both informative and provided hope for what is happening in our region. The tenacity and enthusiasm with which Caspian Acres, Hardy Hills Farm and the Social Enterprise projects are being carried out bodes well for our food system. Find Caspian Acres duck eggs at Brownstone, Red Beard and Storms. Hardy Hills items are available at the Kamloops Farmers’ Market — stay tuned for their items through the Kamloops Organic Buying Club and their own webstore. As the Social Enterprise project evolves, you’ll hear about what they will be focusing on to create and sell.

Events
The calendar on our website is up and running, so when you have a food action related event, please post details in the calendar.

Who’s Who
Caspian Acres
City of Kamloops
Gardengate
Hardy Hills Farm
Interior Community Services
JUMP
Kamloops Food Policy Council
Qwemtsm Health
Naturalist Club
Thompson Shuswap Master Gardeners
TK’emlups te Secwepemc
TRU
UBC

Next Meeting: November 7
5:30 – 7:30 PM
Mount Paul Community Food Centre
Presentation from Kamloops Public Market Co-op