How Does Your Garden Grow?

Prepared by Ann Marshall CSJ on behalf of the Federation Ecology Committee

Spring is a siren call for all creation to a renewed relationship with Mother Earth to bring forth new and abundant life.  The die-hard gardeners among us are at the starting gate even before spring officially arrives.  These nurturers of the soil and spirit tell us that gardening is gratifying, and simple tasks like pruning and weeding can relieve stress, improve mood, fill one with hope, and help develop emotional wellbeing.   There is a sense of purpose and achievement in cultivating a garden, it is a vehicle for connecting with others, and spiritually it provides occasions to spend time outside communing with nature and breathing in the great outdoors.

Food for Thought is highlighting some Federation gardeners.  The following is a “taste” to tempt you to our Federation website very soon, and we gather many more pictures from our wonderful gardeners.  We’ll let you know when the website is updated.

An enthusiastic Sister Gwen Smith (Toronto) and volunteers at the community garden growing food for nutritious meals for the Mustard Seed Community.

My interest in gardening and growing up in the Netherlands certainly gave me that passion.  I enjoy beautifying and caring for the earth and its flowers, plants, veggies, trees etc. to watch them grow produce, bloom and be used for others enjoyment.  Lydia Smeets CSJ

Sister Jane Fischer, Pembroke, can hardly wait for the snow to be off the ground before she begins making plans for her precious plants – flowers and vegetables. Jane’s floral window boxes are primarily for the sisters who can’t walk outdoors any more, but appreciate watching them grow and thrive in the summer. Her tomato plants are thriving in Pembroke sunshine.

Food Trends

Nancy Wales CSJ

Have you heard about Generation YUM?   They are a large subset of Millennials or Generation Y. Those who were born between the early 80’s and the early 2000’s. In a recent interview on the AGENDA, host Steve Paikin spoke with author, Eve Turow Paul, a free-lance food, travel and culture writer. Her new e-book, “A Taste of Generation YUM” has just been released. The author admitted that it was her own curiosity which prompted her research into the reasons behind the changing relationships of Millennials with food. In her search for answers, she interviewed many of her peers and numerous food leaders. Her findings supported her initial observations that significant numbers of Generation Y are truly obsessed with all things food. ‘Foodies’ par excellence, she labeled Generation Y also as Generation YUM. 

Rachel Greenburger, in her review of “A Taste of Generation YUM,” highlights, “Plenty has been written on Millennials, but not much on their relationships to food and certainly not what underpins it.” One point that I found particularly intriguing about Generation YUM, those who have grown up in a highly technological sphere, was the convergence of their obsession with food. Although Millennials are overly connected in the digital space, it appears they long for the connection and grounding that food offers. Food is their anti-technological antidote for what’s missing in their digitized lives. Food is their source of sensory stimulation beyond their eyes and fingertips. It provides real time face-to-face connection, a source of peer identity and a sense of control. To learn more about Eve Turow Paul’s findings, access the 15 minute interview between Steve and Eve at https://youtu.be/yzg0kPavj-Al. It’s well worth your time.

What might your own food choices indicate about your own relationship with food?