What Have we Learned Through COVID?
Updated March 1, 2022
Well, it’s safe to say that having been given this time to ‘pause’, we’ve learned quite a lot!
While there are plenty of things about the past two years that we won’t be sad to leave behind, this quote from Dave Hollis is worth thinking on,
“In the rush to return to normal, use this time to consider which parts of normal are worth rushing back to.”
As we move on from here, a lot of things about our daily lives will be different. The exciting part about it all is that in many cases, each of us have the power to choose just what that looks like for us!
So many great chats have been shared out by the Roadside Stand on this very subject, and undoubtedly they will continue!
Read on below for ways that some of us have changed our outlook on food.
…just a few points to consider…
Perhaps they’ll spark some ideas and discussion around your table too.
What we DO know….
We Don’t Need to Fear…
It would be difficult to disagree with the fact that FOOD is a huge source of concern. At some point during the pandemic, you may have wondered….
- Could we run out of food?
We know…this feels STRANGE. Never in our lives (unless we are within the small percentage of the population who have lived for 80+ years…) had we been faced with limits on what we’re allowed to purchase at the grocery store. In our minds, we know FULL WELL that our Canadian food supply chain is one of the BEST. Still, the limitations were a little unsettling…because they were SO foreign to us!
Friends, what a luxury it has been for those of us who are able – to purchase WHAT we want, WHEN we want, in the QUANTITIES we want. Please don’t worry. Canadian farmers rose to the challenge – adapting and scaling up, wherever possible – to meet the increased demands on the system. Thank you for your trust in us. - Is our food supply safe?
In a word…YES! We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again… as Canadians, we have one of the safest food supplies in the world. Don’t believe us? Check out the Global Food Security Index numbers here.
Not unlike overprotective parents….as much as the CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency) sometimes drives us a little bit crazy with their bureaucracy and red tape… they DO do well to fulfill their mandate of (and I paraphrase…) “keeping the Canadian food supply safe”.There is NO DOUBT in our minds that they will continue their efforts – to make sure that this remains the case.
We made it through THAT!
(…guess we may as well keep on going now…)
We’d be lying if we told you there hadn’t been some of ‘those days’. There WERE times when it felt like the easiest solution would have been to throw in the towel. Some days and weeks in 2020 were just TOUGH. (2021 wasn’t easy…but it WAS better!)
But then… growing food is what we do! It feels like there has never been a more important time for us to do it! Our mission is this:
“To impact lives in a positive way while growing great food and honouring God.” …and until we are unable to do so, we will press on toward that goal.
Our practices and procedures were, and continue to be developed and improved. We have entire arsenals of information and support available to us from the local Health Unit and municipality; the numerous agricultural associations we belong to; as well as provincial and federal levels of government.
So we keep going…as we always have…one day at a time.
Some Things to Think About…
The following is NOT a sales pitch…rather, it’s an invitation for each one of us to consider whether it’s time to make some changes in the way our households operate…
- Do you have a ‘stash’?
Do you want to?
Chatting with a friend early on in the pandemic, I jokingly remarked,
“I’ve been preparing for this my whole life!”
I was referring to the three chest freezers and the shelves full of dry goods we have here in our basement! I’m no poster child for canning and preserving… let’s be clear!! Because it’s available though, I do put a decent amount of produce away during the summer season. It’s always nice (especially right now) to have it there for use over the winter months.
Contrary to what you may think…it’s also a very economical way to shop. Buying locally, in quantity when items are in season will save you money in the long run….AND it tastes better too! - What are our SEASONAL buying habits?
Does it throw us for a loop if we can’t find fresh berries in January?
Do we feel terribly inconvenienced when the grocery store has no asparagus in November?
The beans…and the corn…don’t even start! Have you seen them in the winter.“Eating the Seasons” is not a new concept. Our grandparents did it. They had no other choice! As the world has changed and ‘progressed’ over time, we’ve become accustomed to having EVERYTHING available to us ALL year round.
Like so many things in life…just because we CAN…doesn’t necessarily mean that we SHOULD.
Do we NEED to import fresh blueberries from Peru all winter long (…rather than getting our fill from a local blueberry grower in the summertime? )
There are a few reasons why it may be worth re-thinking this idea. Read more here. - How much do we REALLY know about our food?
Where is it grown (which Country…County…Farm….Field??)
Using which types of growing practices?
With what sort of a philosophy behind it?
How far has it traveled…under what type of storage conditions?The only – and best – way to know EVERYTHING about the food you’re eating, is to grow it yourself…which is a TERRIFIC idea. We wholeheartedly support you in your home gardening pursuits!! Ask us questions, anytime! We love comparing notes!If gardening is not something you’re interested in, or able to manage, don’t feel bad. It’s up to you to decide what level of connection to your food (and where it comes from) that you need to be comfortable.
Well…there you have it.
At best…maybe it’s been some ‘food’ for thought.
Mull it all over, chat among yourselves. Think about which options you may like to explore as you seek to feed your family in a mindful and healthful way.
Strike up a conversation with us if you’d like! We would be only too happy to help you sort out a game plan, or discuss how we can help you affordably and simply ‘eat the seasons’ or create that ‘stash’ for yourselves.
Drop us an email: millersfarmfresh@gmail.com
or give us a call: 613-283-0205