It’s no secret.

I love food. Passionately. Food Day Canada reminds me to celebrate northern bounty and pause for reflection on my love affair with food in this, my first blog post.
My childhood was privileged.
Maybe yours was, too.  I grew up in a vegetable garden, beside the berry patch, in the midst of the land of plenty – abundant in grain and livestock production.  Though I was more or less oblivious to it, my parents recognized and prized the gifts of the land.  This time of the year (August) my mother would boast that almost everything on the supper table was produced on our own farm, by our own labour.  From the creamed peas and new potatoes, to roast chicken with rich, satisfying gravy, the dilled cucumbers, delicate lettuce salad, and rhubarb crisp for dessert, I grew up on the freshest, choicest quality foods.  I was accustomed to people baking their own buns, growing their own tomatoes, keeping egg-producing chickens, and storing up their preserves, meat, and frozen vegetables to last through the winter.  Fresh fish feeds on the shore of a pristine northern Saskatchewan lake were an expected annual event.  Meals were the centerpiece of any important gathering.

Feeding people was the ultimate language of love and caring.

Is it any wonder that I am deeply connected and zealous about nourishing food?
But we all grow up.
Fast forward to the juggling act of raising children, working full time, and managing a household.  Thank goodness for the convenience of many foods available today that help nourish families pressed for time.  Pre-washed salads, marinated meats, and flash-frozen sides are available any day of the week.  Technology has advanced the delivery of excellent nutrition right to our dinner plates. True, in the quest for market share of customer palates, food products overly rich in calorie density have murkied the waters, making it troublesome to choose foods that meet nutrition needs. Still, the savvy consumer can learn to read labels and be better equipped than ever to feed their families from the plentiful options available in our own neighbourhood.

We are fortunate.  Maybe more privileged than ever.

It seems there has been a resurgence of local producers are dedicating themselves to the farm-to-table delivery of food.  Eggs, apples and berries, vegetables, chicken, pork, beef, bison, milled grains and flours and more can be bought directly from producers less than 50km away from my doorstep.  Our community has two thriving grocery stores staffed by passionate people making it their mission to bring the finest, freshest meat, produce, dairy and dry goods to the families that work, play, and go to school in this and nearby communities.
And so, my brazen love affair with food carries on.

My Instagram stories will continue to feed the eyes with drool-worthy, fresh local food finds.  Today and every day, I thank and celebrate local farmers, ranchers, producers, and storekeepers for the safe, healthy, affordable Canadian ingredients that fuel life and delight the senses.

It is more delightful than ever to #eatlocal and #shoplocal

Cook like a Canadian
Eat like a Canadian
Shop like a Canadian
Share like a Canadian

Will you join me?

Visit fooddaycanada.ca  #FoodDayCanada  #CanadaIsFood

Follow my drool-worthy Instagram stories @growthmoves