If all revolutions were like this, the world would be a better place; and more delicious.
The 6th annual Food Revolution Day took place at the Southshore Community Centre Wednesday. The FRD was May 19 but with the local chapter having been at a school educating the younger generation that day, June 7 became the Community Day. 20 vendors descended on the venue to give out samples and dialogue to those looking for a better way to eat.
Katherine Parent and Kathryn Abel are the local Food Revolution Ambassadors and are working hard to bring awareness to Barrie and the surrounding area about not just a healthier lifestyle, but a more intelligent way to buy food and feed your family.
“I joined Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution a little while ago to help the message of a better way to live get out and influence people,” said Parent. “I set up a table at City Hall, answered health questions and handed out colouring kits to the kids. The following year Kathryn joined me to help get vendors involved. We really wanted to make it a community event and we eventually started going into local schools to get the kids knowing and understanding what they’re eating.”
World famous chef Jamie Oliver began the Food Revolution with a 2010 television show that aimed to better the quality of food that kids were eating at school, whether from the cafeterias or what they brought. The organization is now a movement that teaches everyone how to grow from scratch, be educated on what they buy and from where. Parent is a nutritionist and her company, Make Good Choices, helps folks eat the right way, making her very passionate about the local aspect and how to help her community be more aware. “I see better choices being made every day and even in the local restaurant establishments,” said Parent.
“I see owners encouraging their chefs to purchase from our local farmers and getting back to that. We’ll see it tenfold in health benefits down the road; we have a huge rate of obesity and type 2 diabetes. I’m very passionate about getting the vendors coming out and helping with the education side of all it.”
Parent is optimistic about the future for health and points to the UK where Oliver’s campaign helped push through a sugar tax that is helping curb people’s want for too many sweets and junk food. Parent believes that with a little time, Canada will too adopt laws that will help make it easier for people to lead a healthy lifestyle.
“It’s only a matter of time till we see government act and make it harder to choose junk food over a better choice,” said Parent. “We’re already seeing the calorie intake information everywhere and there’s a push to take out artificial dyes from foods; if enough people make their voices heard, politicians have no choice but to listen.”
Of the many vendors on hand who were giving out free samples of food, one in particular was there for growing food and overall well-being. Vertagro is the creation of former Georgian College student Jon Grootveld. The 23-year-old gardening enthusiast felt very strongly about the act of growing one’s own food after a sports injury put him on the shelf for a while.
“I was very active in sports, playing in the US, junior hockey and baseball and then I had a pretty bad shoulder injury that left me having to undergo two separate surgeries,” said Grootveld. “For about six months I did absolutely nothing and for two years I was pretty inactive; this lead to putting on about 50 pounds and having a very poor state of mental health. I felt terrible about myself but started reading to kill time and came across some of the problems facing the world. It made me see that food was such a problem for most and I wanted to help in some way.”
This finding steered Grootvelt in the direction of planting and growing his own garden through a technology called vertical farming. Vertical farming allows people to grow food indoors without harmful chemicals as well as saving on over 90% of the water used in traditional growth.
“Being able to garden upright and indoors is so good for many folks who haven’t been able to enjoy growing their own food or herbs,” said Grootveld. “I especially like to help kids, the elderly and those with physical and mental disabilities. For example, people with the Canadian Mental Health Association can learn competency and confidence and learn to do these kinds of tasks, the elderly can stay sitting upright with our vertical products where they can just sit there. What it did for me I want it to do for others; plant a seed, nurture it and watch it grow to then eat the finished process. I got so excited when I realized I could do that and I would teach my family and friends how to.”
For more information on how to get involved with the Food Revolution or what they’re doing, check out the website at www.barriefoodrevolution.com.
