Kitchenuhmaykoosib InninuwugTraditional Garden/Farm Program

Connie H. Nelson

Joel Symonds

Northern Ontario First Nation Environment Conference

Old Fort William Historical Park, Thunder Bay

October 5th, 2011

Food Security Research Network (FSRN) A network of people concerned about food security Including university faculty and students from 12+

departments and an array of other community members, e.g.: Local agricultural organizations Schools and learning programs First Nation communities Charitable and social organizations

Vision of FSRN

From a culture of engagement that is formed through the interactions of faculty, students, and community around the shared vision of food security, a knowledge commons forms out of which emerges innovative community based solutions to regional food security.

Program Overview 2 year program Started spring of 2011 Partnership between

Food Security Research Network Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug

5 trainees 3 x 2-week training sessions in TBay

Objectives To renew traditional food security in KI Through both:

cultivated gardens boreal forest food sources

Strategy Hand-on experience Exposure to many gardening techniques

Garden/Farm Project- Planning and Preparation

Garden/Farm Project- Tending and Care

Garden/Farm Project- Harvesting

Garden/Farm Project- Cooking

Garden/Farm Project: The Finale

Next Steps

Thank You Food Security Research Network Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug Northern Training Program of

the Ministry of Colleges & Universities Trainees

Rene Begg Beverly McKay Dustin Sainnawap Diane Petiquan Matilda Hudson

Sharing Circle How do you put food on your table? What are the sources of your food?

Store-bought, traditional boreal forest sources- fish, moose, grouse, blueberries, mushrooms, and cultivated gardens

What do you feel is the relationship between diet and a healthy community?

How would you like to strengthen the food availability in your community?

cultivated gardens, domestic livestock (chickens, sheep, goats), traditional boreal forest sources, more imported store foods