Connecting people to Nature
Goldenrose Gardiner
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Carolyn HerriotA FIVE-YEAR VISION for Greater Food Security
‘A vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare’ -Japanese proverb Imagine where we could be in five years if we had a plan? What would it be like if suddenly ‘Edible landscaping’ became de rigueur, and everyone started growing plants they could eat in their gardens? What would it feel like if people shared backyards and laneways, established micro-farms with ducks chickens geese and rabbits, and grew food in allotment gardens? Imagine food and fruit trees growing on boulevards and in public gardens, and urban farms producing substantial amounts of organic fruits and vegetables. We could create a taste of Tuscany where we live! Farmers markets would thrive as more and more food became available, and young farmers would discover there is good income to be made from growing food after all. ‘Love your Farmer’ would be the most popular bumper sticker on electric cars. There would be food gardens in schoolyards, and education on nutrition and growing food in primary and secondary schools, so that children learn and remember the vital connection between their diet and their health. Farmers and gardeners would save seeds for future harvests, and community seed banks would spring up to safeguard collective food security. Universities and community colleges would teach sustainable small-scale farming, and institutions and businesses would offer loans and grants to help new farmers get started. A vision today is the best way to create reality in future. I know from personal experience that growing my own food leads to a good, healthy and happy life, and that’s what I want for all of us. When better to start than now? |