What
I am, by nature, a researcher, writer and educator. I also provide consultation and facilitation services.
My primary focus is Foodshed Animation – fostering the production and consumption of local foods. I work with Kootenay/Boundary farmers and food producers, providing information and resources, fostering networks and collaboration. I endeavour to provide practical resources to assist in fostering a safe, local and sustainable food system.
My volunteer and waged work in the past eighteen years has encompassed community development, gender issues, food security, sustainable communities and food systems, environmental and social standards, and certification.
Over the years I have given many talks on foodshed animation, food security and food sovereignty. I have also developed a range of tools and educational materials related to foodshed animation. A selection of them can be found and downloaded below. If they are useful, I encourage anyone to use them, add to them, share them. I appreciate comments or suggestions and acknowledgment of the source when used for your own work.
Kootenay / Boundary Foodshed Summary, 2002
Local Agriculture & Economics, April 2007
Marketing 101 for Farmers, March 2005
Fomenting A Food Revolution This talk was given at the Nelson Food Forum held in November 2006.
Foodshed Animation Diagram, May 2008
Food Citizenship: engaging individual citizens in rebuilding local food systems, Nov 2007
January 2009: I am pleased to be able to announce that I have finally found the time to revisit and update my 2000 publication entitled “A Canadian Consumer’s Guide to ingredients which may have been genetically engineered: or, How to become a detective in your own food system.” The booklet is 18 pages long and contains detailed information on how to identify derivatives from genetically engineered crops in processed foods. Please feel free to download and circulate the Guide as widely as you wish.
Canadian Consumer’s Guide to GE Ingredients
Late January 2009: Due to the high volume of interest, I have developed a document to assist people in hiring a web designer. Written in collaboration with Charla Beaulieu, the document is entitled: “10 Questions to ask a potential Web Designer: A Guide intended to help determine the suitability of a contractor for designing a website”. As you can see, I like long and self-explanatory titles. Please note that this Guide is intended to help identify web designers who are able to create a web site that adheres to the W3C Standards – the document elaborates.