An Opportunity To Do the Right Thing

The untimely death of Phil Farraro reminded us all of the extraordinary and literal “Legacy” he has left.  The Legacy Garden is 8 and half acres of raised beds for vegetable production, trees, a playground for children, areas for people to sit and talk. It’s one of the largest urban farms in Canada supplying food to not for profits like Anderson House and food banks, and giving urban families a chance to learn how to grow some of their own food.  It’s an example of reimagining how land tied to a public space (the Farm Centre) could be used.  In 2014 Ferraro convinced enough people including funders that a small scale working farm could be created in the middle of Charlottetown.  The Legacy Garden was born.

There was one other well known public space tied to farming close by to the Legacy Garden, the Charlottetown Farmers Market.  Established in 1984 on the edge of Agriculture Canada’s Charlottetown Research Station it’s been a mainstay business for more than 60 farmers and artisans. As most know fire damaged the building last Christmas, and while a temporary space was found this summer, the Farmers Market Cooperative which represents the vendors says it’s in a last ditch effort to get a long term lease so work can begin to repair and renovate the existing building. 

This sounds simple but it’s not.  Both Agriculture Canada (ie. the Federal government) and the Mi’kmaq of PEI must agree and so far that hasn’t happened.

Territorial acknowledgments remind Islanders of facts that have legal and Constitutional weight. “We acknowledge that Mi’kma’ki is the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq people, who, in 1725 first signed the Treaties of Peace and Friendship with the British Crown. Those treaties did not deal with the surrender of lands and resources, but instead recognized Mi’kmaq title and negotiated a path toward an ongoing relationship between nations.” This is spoken at the beginning of many public meetings and the words mean something.  L’nuey,  the organization responsible for upholding Mi’kmaw rights in formal discussions with governments, must be included in determining what happens on crown land, including the Charlottetown Research Station. 

It’s very hard to know what discussions if any that are going on between Agriculture Canada and L’nuey.  Apparently Agriculture Canada hasn’t said no to the farmers market, but it’s not willing  to sign a long-term lease, a deal breaker for the Market Cooperative. Given that other research stations have been closed recently in a money saving exercise, is it possible that Agriculture Canada is thinking of selling this very valuable piece of property? I would hope not. The Legacy Garden down the road and, if allowed,  the Farmers Market fit exactly with the latest agriculture policy announced by the Federal Government.  There is a strong emphasis on making it easier for Canadian consumers to access locally grown food.  This is exactly what both of these are doing.

I also have no insight into what L’nuey is considering. I believe  L'nuey could use what the Farmer's Market represents as a way to remind Islanders about it's own history and values. 
Market vendors are the farmers on PEI who grow good food, treat the land well, protect wildlife and natural resources.   L'nuey could make a case these are in line with what’s now being recognized as Aboriginal wisdom and deserve its support.
Ralph Martin spent many years at Truro Agricultural College, and the University of Guelph teaching and researching sounder agriculture practices that would protect the environment. His latest article in the Western Producer pays respect to Aboriginal wisdom ( https://www.producer.com/opinion/settlers-need-aboriginal-wisdom-more-than-ever/ ) .  He writes: “Both Aboriginal peoples and settlers will benefit from knowledge systems of living on specific land and respecting Aboriginal wisdom based on processing and applying their knowledge over millennia. Aboriginal wisdom is specific to this place, Turtle Island, within the context of a worldview not beholden to the singular goal of economic growth.”  

I think both the Legacy Garden and the Farmers Market have that healthy mix of ecologically sound farming practices and community bonding and support. These are values badly missing in a world where social media divides us, and commercial agriculture has became a game of survival. Surely these few acres in the middle of Charlottetown can be used to encourage  something different, even better.