A Starting Point

Much of the impetus for Carolyn Herriot’s book, “The Zero-Mile Diet: A Year-Round Guide to Growing Organic Food” was derived from the fact that only 5% of the food that is consumed on Vancouver Island is grown locally. While growing our own plants can protect us against the onslaught of chemically treated food and save money in difficult economic times, it can also help us attain a greater degree of self-sufficiency. Herriot wrote the book in the spirit of doing a little at a time and it is important to adapt the information in the book so that it can serve our individual capabilities, thereby strengthening our local food supply and our autonomy. One way to start would be by picking up some of Carolyn Herriot’s Seeds of Victoria, which are certified organic and protect genetic diversity. Try planting basil or pepper plants in a two gallon plastic pot or maybe tomatoes or cucumbers in a five gallon pot. If you want to do something more sizable, you can try a lasagna garden which was devised by gardener Patricia Lanza where a mixture of manure, hay, compost, and cardboard are layered on top of the earth. There is no need for digging or weeding so it can be as permanent or as temporary as you want it to be, and when you’re through with it, all that is left is good compost!

A classic summer recipe made with some common garden items:

The Garden Path Potato Salad

2 lb. (907 g) new potatoes, cooked ‘til just tender, cooled and chopped

1 sweet onion, minced

1 small cucumber, chopped

2 dill pickles, sliced, or 1 tsp. (5 mL) capers

2 hard boiled eggs, chopped

2 tsp. (10 mL) dill

1 tsp. (5 mL) salt

½ tsp. (2.5 mL) black pepper

3 Tbsp. (45 mL) mayonnaise

Toss all together and chill in refrigerator.

Thank you to Carolyn Herriot and Harbour Publishing for recipes and information from “The Zero-Mile Diet: A Year-Round Guide to Growing Organic Food.” You can attend the book launch on July 10^th, 2010 at 2:30 PM at the Organic Islands Festival in Victoria, BC.

Tags: Food, Local, nature, Organic, sustainability