Documentary Screening Inspiring and Educational

Last Thursday, Nick Versteeg arrived on campus to show his documentary "Food Security: It's In Your Hands". Although we started with a few technical hiccups, I believe the event was quite a success! It was great to see interested students and community members out at this event. The documentary was wonderful and I came away feeling inspired. As an environmental studies student I often become overwhelmed by environmental issues and it becomes hard not to shut-down and easy to give up hope. This film has re-energized my drive and passion for food security and ensured me that others are just as pissed off.

The film asks the question, can we feed the world the way we farm today?  The U.N. estimates that there will be 9 billion people by 2050. The answer is NO. The film introduces us to a variety of characters. Farmers who have converted their commercial farms to organic farms, young farmers, dairy farmers, authors, soil specialists, and beekeepers. Cheap imports undermine local farmers and makes it impossible for them to compete on the market. Only 4% of the population in BC are farmers, the rest are "urbanites". That means if we want to encourage food security and local, sustainable agriculture we require more people to get into farming. Farming isn't the most sexy or glamorous career for students emerging from university to pick.Young farmers Heather Walker and Brock Mcloed bought ten acres of farmland in Cowichan Valley and turned it into Makaria Farm. They remind the audience that environmentally sustainable farming is financially viable and a positive career choice for those who want to live out their values. I learned a great deal about the importance of soil and what is happening to our bees.

Compost Posts--Community Composting

Community Composting is the option I am going with. They are more expensive, but they give you soil back. Since I am planning to garden, this is for me. They provide me with a bin. It is supposedly very durable; I have yet to receive it. I am then supposed to fill it with compost for four weeks. In four weeks they will send a truck by my home to pick up the compost in my bin. At the same time they pick up my bin, they drop me off a twenty-liter bag of nutrient rich composted soil. This service is $154.51 for six months. I am unaware as to the current market price of composted soil, but I imagine that the $151.54 is a fair price to pay for six or seven bags of soil and the pick up/ drop off service. I am supposed to receive my bin and bag of soil this week. I am excited, and looking forward to my future involvement in the composting and gardening lifestyle. 
-Mario