Joanne McQuarrie, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter | [email protected]
Share and enjoy fresh, homegrown fruits and vegetables through a new initiative from Jasper Local Food Society (JLFS).
The third Jasper Veggie Share on July 23 is a continuation of the Waste Nothing, Share in Abundance: We're in this Together project.
On Thursdays between 2:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. at the Jasper Anglican Church, folks are welcomed to both drop off fresh garden produce and to pick it up for free.
Marissa Kidd, JLFS vice president, said: "Feel free to give, take, share, a combination of whatever. We're just sharing surplus."
Jasper Veggie Share, she said is about building a connection between people.
"We live in a culture where people are expected to provide for themselves 100 per cent of the time. We've moved away from community culture," she said.
"Because of capitalism we've been taught that if you can't provide, you're useless.鈥�
Kidd said it is important to reclaim sharing food in our communities.
鈥淧art of it is sharing and not expecting anything in return,鈥� she said.
鈥淣ot everything has to be, 'This is exchanged for that.' Not everything has to come down to, 'I'm going to purchase this.'鈥�
And Kidd said Jasper is a 鈥渞eally interesting place鈥� for this initiative to happen.
"There are lots of ways to live with nature,鈥� she said.
鈥淧art of it is wanting people to think critically about where their food is coming from.
鈥淚t's a way to start the conversation about community resilience. It's about connecting people with people who grew their food."
Kidd said people find it easier to give than to receive.
"There's this idea that charity is this very noble thing in our society," she said, adding that it's about looking out for each other.
"We need to be taking care of people and not relying on charity," she said.
Jasper Veggie Share is planned for each Thursday until the growing season ends.
