Going Organic Network Is Really Cooking

By Brenda Frick, Ph.D., P.Ag.

Food is central to culture, any culture. GO, the Going Organic network in Alberta, is sharing the culture of the Alberta organic community with the launch of GO - a Culinary Community. This unique cookbook profiles members of the organic community, who share their connection with food, as well as their recipes.

The “GO Culinary Community” is a broadly based group of people who “want to see organics bloom in Alberta”. They include organic farmers, gardeners, chefs, retailers, businesses and, of course, eaters from around the province and even a few from Saskatchewan. With such a diversity of supporters, GO can be a strong voice for organics in Alberta.

Profiles of the GO community are inspiring. Trevor Aleman, for instance, is a market gardener near Lethbridge whose commitment to organics was made more real when his first child was born with a cleft palate and he found out that the condition was strongly associated with herbicide use. Val and Dave Bogen, grain farmers near Vegreville, tell of their switch to organics after they found that spraying was making Dave sick. They have become vocal enthusiasts of organic food.

Farmers are not the only members of GO whose profiles inspire. Ron Berezan, who owns an organic gardening and landscape business, has a vision of empowering others to become urban farmers to grow their own organic food. Velma Bissoondath, a Calgary artist, finds that GO helps her to explain to her friends and family why sustainable and healthy food is so important. Patricia Shapka, owner of Sunny Boy Foods in Camrose is dedicated to food that is “fun, nutritious, and … tastes great”.

GO - a Culinary Community includes at least one recipe submitted by each of the profiled members. These are as diverse as the profiles, including appetizers, entrees, and desserts, foods for vegetarians and those for omnivores, foods to appeal to children and those for elegant dining. The combination of recipes and profiles give us a richer understanding of the local and organic food movement.

GO will launch their new book at their conference in Camrose, Alberta on March 11th. Chef Wade Sirois, of Infuse Catering and Forage – Farm to Fork Foods to Go in Calgary will share his passion for organic and local cuisine. In his foreword to the book, he reminds us that our food defines us. This book gives us insight into a community of people defined by their love of food, their creativity and their commitment to change in how we relate to food.

A book launch is only part of the excitement planned for the GO conference. A variety of presentations will provide an excellent opportunity for professional development for organic farmers, as well as a learning experience for gardeners and others interested in rural sustainability. The conference will also provide abundant networking opportunities and chances to build community.

A number of organic groups are partnering with GO to host additional events that cluster around the main GO conference on March 11. A transition workshop on March 9 and 10 will appeal to producers who are considering converting to organic production. This workshop provides the information needed to get started, including economics, marketing, agronomy and livestock production. It is led by Steve Snider, GO president and master farmer. March 12 and 13 feature a Western Canadian Value Chain workshop for producers with new ideas or products and an Organic Standards workshop and a training session for organic certifiers and inspectors.

Each of these events brings together the organic community and reminds them of the goals they share, goals of producing the best possible product for the health of the producer, the eater and the environment.

Wendell Berry, in the “Pleasures of Eating” tells us that “eating with the fullest pleasure – pleasure, that is, that does not depend on ignorance – is perhaps the profoundest enactment of our connection with the world.” In their new book, Going Organic reminds us of this connection, with the earth, with food, with each other, and they invite us into their culinary community.

For more information on the GO conference or the book launch see www.goingorganic.ca.


Brenda Frick, Ph.D., P.Ag., is the Organic Research and Extension Coordinator at the University of Saskatchewan and is an affiliate of the Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada. She welcomes your comments at 306-966-4975 or via email at organic@usask.ca. This article was commissioned by the Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada.


Posted April 2009