Celebrate organic locally

West Broadway

Winnipeg

September is Canada’s National Organic Month, the largest annual celebration of organic food, farming and products across the country. Hundreds of activities showcase the benefits of organic agriculture and its positive impact on the environment. Organic represents a vibrant alternative food system with options for clothing, personal care and cleaning products.

Events have included everything from workshops to contests, webinars, film screenings, sharing recipes, farm tours, and organic food and drink tastings across the country. To encourage and help promote all things organic, a number of events are happening here in Winnipeg.

Manitoba Organics, a provincially registered, not-for-profit organization with a mission to grow the organic community in Manitoba by bridging the gap between farmers and consumers, is presenting a free online film screening of From Seed to Seed until the end of September. The film by local documentary filmmaker Katharina Stieffenhofer highlights the connection between food, farming, and climate resilience, and aims to engage and inform a wide audience to cultivate an appreciation of the skill, knowledge and risk involved in farming and to grow support for local food producers and sustainable food systems.

Stieffenhofer’s passion for ecological agriculture, healthy communities and social justice permeates every aspect of her life.

She recently attended the Harvest Moon Festival in Clearwater, MB, an outdoor celebration of organic farmers, community, food, art and music, that brings rural and city folks together for a weekend of camping, workshops, music and a market in a natural setting.

“Most hopeful to me was the prevalence of young families attending the festival with small children and babies,” she said. “These young parents and children are our future and they are absorbing and carrying forward the spirit of harvest moon and this celebration of sustainable agriculture. This month is about believing and working toward healthier communities and a more liveable future for all of us.”

A new report released earlier this month from the Organic Task Force states that organic farming is a powerful tool to boost farm profitability, meet rising domestic and global demand, diversify trade, and advance Canada’s climate and biodiversity goals.

The report also found that organic farming in Canada provides higher net returns for farmers, benefits biodiversity, maintains and improves soil health, reduces greenhouse gas, uses up to 50 per cent less energy and is up to 40 per cent more energy efficient based on long-term prairie trials. Additionally, the study found that organic farming uses key beneficial management practices, including more diversified rotations, cover crops and green manures, and managed habitat at higher rates than on non-organic farms, delivering specific ecological and agronomic benefits.

The Green Party of Manitoba is also celebrating Organic Month with a special event on Saturday, Sept. 27 from 1 to 4 p.m. at Vimy Ridge Park, on the corner of Portage Avenue and Home Street. All are welcome. The afternoon will feature live music, speakers, information tables, and vegan treats from Tall Grass Prairie Bakery, which recently celebrated its 35-year anniversary and has been supporting organic agriculture throughout that time: agriculture practiced without the use of artificial fertilizers or pesticides.

Janine Gibson has been with the Green Party both provincially and federally for over 30 years. She has served as the national president of Canadian Organic Growers and is currently Executive Secretary. She is deeply immersed in the work of Organic Food Council of MB, the Manitoba Organic Alliance, and represents Manitoba on the Organic Federation of Canada and on the Organic Standards Technical Committee.

“The local chapter of Canadian Organic Growers has celebrated Organic Month for the past 20 years with the St. Norbert Farmers Market and Vita Health, and lately with the Green Party of MB, the only political party which endorses organic values of health, ecology, fairness, and care in food production,” Gibson said.

“Celebrating our local organic growers shows our respect for their hard work at harvest and for local food security. We understand that organic food grown close to home is less expensive and healthier in many ways, for us and for addressing the climate emergency. We are calling for industrial agriculture to evolve, and for food production to be based on respecting life at all levels, not based on torture and poison.”

As the market for organic products continues to grow, events like those during Organic Month are particularly important, Gibson asserted.

“These celebrations pull the community in, and they honour organic agriculture.”

For more information, visit choosecanadaorganic.ca/organic-month/ or email info@greenparty.mb.ca