This week we have two very special guests with very different perspectives but I think they would get along at a dinner party.
See the summary and quotes on the podbean app about the description
Chef Charles
“I think we have one of the best culinary scenes in the world. Canada has so much to offer. It is beautiful. It’s wild.”
“What is that? – that’s fennel. People really can’t identify certain ingredients. It’s a little bit disturbing at times… understand the amount of effort and time and how things are grown and again once you have an appreciation and respect for the food I think it is super important and I think it cuts down on waste and how people approach and cook vegetables and ingredients.”
At the time I had not tried fennel, but since this interview and comment… I have to say that since this podcast I have attempted to educate myself about fennel as it was not something that I knew! This is how we can keep trying new foods. Have you tried fennel? And how have you made it?
“[A healthy relationship with food] knowing where your food is coming from… knowing the people who are growing your food you know your farmer’s/grower’s, to me being in tune with all that… being hands on… going to farmer’s markets just having that connection is very important.”
Christine Johnson Dietitian
Christine Johnson is a dietitian and public health practitioner who has been involved in the food security movement in Nova Scotia since 2001. She lives in Antigonish Nova Scotia with her husband and 2 daughters who have started and care for a small permaculture orchard. Figuring out what to do with all the fruits berries and veggies they grow is their main focus.
Christine is one of the most humble, gracious, kind but ethically strong people I have ever met.
“We would grow tomatoes but what was interesting I never realized why green tomato chow was so popular which was pickled green preserve was so popular but it was so cold and foggy where I lived that they never ripen but you kind of have to eat them green.”
I made it my mission to learn how to make things from scratch
That really kind of spearheaded a love of food in terms of really feeling … a little bit of pride and really understanding how to make the stuff … and I think the piece what stands out for me was the relationships with the people, and them teaching me their traditions which likely passed on from their mom’s and other people who were important to them.
Participatory action research to activate for in this case better income so people can purchase the food that they need.
There is an active decision that is made that this is all you get if you are dependent on the system … so it helps them see that it’s not their individual fault and it helps them see that policy change is what we need in order to improve the situation and it has motivated them to get involved in that broader advocacy work and policy change.
To have enough to have their basic human rights met.
They find this research most impactful because it blends both the hard evidence the numbers the facts, when you see those tables and you see that they are $900 short of meeting their basic needs and the methodology is sound but it is more impactful because it comes with the stories of the lived experience so what does that mean for these individuals.
You are always going to do better if you look at all of the angles.
I see it so broadly that I often wonder if someone has any choice at all. The people around you influence the choices you make.