CANOE - Lifewise Food & Drink: Eating local

CANOE - Lifewise Food & Drink: Eating local


"To make more locally grown food available, one young eco-preneur has adopted an old practice for a new paradigm. Twenty-five year old Heather Walker has resurrected the concept of share-cropping. Once used in the American South in times of economic hardship, Walker’s idea is ready-made for those who want to be part of the overall solution to building the food supply.
With her effort, called Stratford Urban Farms, Walker wants to use the yards of friends and neighbours to grow vegetable patches. The land is supplied by the homeowner; the seed is either supplied by them or purchased through funds raised by Walker; the labour is supplied by a team of volunteers. Walker hopes to have 10 to 15 garden plots spread throughout parts of Stratford, Ontario and 10 to 20 volunteers to help maintain them. The resultant crops will be shared among the landowners, the volunteers and Walker, and the remainder will go to local food banks."