Harvests from Home
By Brian Bowman
How would you like to enjoy reasonably-priced, healthy, naturally grown produce direct from growers in your neighbourhood? You can – even if you live in an apartment or condo.
Harvests from Home, developed by Regina’s Audrey Aamodt, is a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program based on a global initiative that started some 30 years ago in Europe. Through the program, local property owners provide the growing space, the garden spaces are managed and maintained by a member employee, in this case Audrey Aamodt, and the fresh, locally grown produce is distributed to member consumers.
CSA programs are popular in the USA and many CSA projects are underway in Canada. But the concept is fairly new to Saskatchewan where between five to 10 CSAs are underway, mainly in rural areas. Harvests from Home is one of the first CSA programs to establish in a large, urban environment and 2011 is the start-up year.
Currently, Aamodt is meeting with property owners to form garden plot lending agreements. She’s had good response from both property owners and with those who may become members. Since she is planning to maintain the gardens herself, Aamodt’s target is about 40 members, which is about as many as she feels she can serve without assistance. Her seed stock is “Heritage varieties” obtained from somewhat local seed-growers and her modest income requirements are factored into the cost of membership.
Says Aamodt: “Harvests from Home is a viable alternative for apartment and condo dwellers who don’t have gardening space or for those who lack the time or generally find themselves unable to establish and maintain a garden plot.”
While the project ensures that members receive a safe supply of healthy produce, Aamodt says her larger intent is to raise food awareness and form close relations between food growers and consumers. It’s a good idea, even here in the most intensely agricultural region of the country, where, despite efforts to close it, the awareness gap between producers and consumers has steadily widened over the past few decades.
For more information, to become a member, or to lend growing space, contact Audrey Aamodt at harvestsfromhome@gmail.com or call 306-565-0074.
Oprah is a friend of Regina’s 'Just be Friends'
Good promo never hurts, especially when you’re trying to get your personal dream off the ground.
At the beginning of 2010, Oprah Winfrey selected 150 people from her audience of millions to accompany her on a 12 day visit to Australia. Among the fortunate few selected was Janice Taylor of Regina, whose new venture Just be Friends, a women’s positive reinforcement network, appealed to Winfrey’s defense of social inclusion.
A longtime Oprah viewer, Taylor says: “I wrote in to her about growing up in Regina’s north end, being a single mom and saying that Just be Friends – find a friend, be a friend is something I created and launched in June of 2010 to connect women and celebrate friendship.”
That got Oprah’s attention, and 12 days with her in the land down under.
“We could all bring a friend. So, the viewers, and friends and production crew all went with her to Australia on a plane flown by John Travolta,” says Taylor.
The affair was orchestrated down to the second, but Taylor boldly got her two cents in.
“There was an occasion where Oprah asked us what we thought,” says Taylor. “So I stood up and told her.” Though Taylor’s comments weren’t on the menu, sincerity gets respect. Winfrey let her speak and may use Taylor’s comments in an upcoming segment.
Buzzcity editor Brian Bowman talks to Janice Taylor
“Emancipation didn’t end with getting the vote or job equality,” insists Taylor. “Today’s woman is still bound by stereotypes of appearance and behavior, still confused by conflicting or contradictory expectations.”
Taylor argues that there are no age limits to stress or anxiety, and that women of all ages are affected. Her intent with Just be Friends is to reveal that situation, and by bringing women together, help to break down current stereotypes. Taylor also says she maintains a strong code of conduct for online behavior and that Just be Friends is not to be mistaken for a dating service. It’s more like group therapy for the digital age that matches similar character and interest profiles with actual woman who are most likely to become better friends than mere tea and sympathy companions.
“Every woman should have a consummate friend in her life. And if she does, and puts that at the forefront of her life, the rest of her dreams and her life will be plentiful.” says Taylor.
Membership in Just be Friends now runs at around 1000 women, most of them in Regina. For more information, visit their website at: www.justbefriends.ca
