A First Nations community on the Saskatchewan-Alberta border, Onion Lake Cree Nation has grown 1,000 pounds of food in its first year to help the community reduce grocery costs.

With a goal of making sure no one in the community goes hungry, Onion Lake Cree Nation in Saskatchewan is growing its own food to help address food insecurity. In its first year, the First Nation tested a small no-till garden and grew more than 1,000 pounds of fresh vegetables. The project is a local effort to provide healthy food for community members while building a more sustainable source of food.

The garden has produced vegetables such as cauliflower, tomatoes, zucchini, potatoes, cabbage, and carrots, and the produce will be donated to the community’s group homes, Elders, food banks, and schools. Experts hope the garden will make fresh vegetables and other healthy foods more available to families and encourage children to eat healthier, while also helping to tackle the growing number of nutrition-related chronic diseases, including Type 2 diabetes.

Alicia Oliver, who leads the no-till garden project, has spent more than 20 years teaching people about healthy eating. The community garden’s produce is even more helpful, as fresh produce in Onion Lake can be expensive and limited, and many residents drive about 30 minutes to shop for food.

The no-till garden also requires very little maintenance. Instead of digging the soil, gardeners use layers of compost and straw to keep moisture in and reduce weeds. The garden did not need to be watered during the growing season and has already produced more than 1,000 pounds of vegetables, including large cabbages, with carrots, beets, and potatoes still to be harvested. The project is also part of a larger community gardening effort that includes potatoes and fruit bushes. Organizers hope to expand the no-till gardening program across the community and into local schools so children can have greater access to fresh, healthy food.

Source: Allison Bamford, CTV News