Seeding Stories
In recent decades, community gardens have become increasingly important in countries of the Global North. Once considered a leisurely activity, community gardens are growing in number as people seek out green spaces and land access in urban spaces, a response that can be accredited in part to the recent COVID-19 pandemic and food price increases. Beyond their economic benefits, community gardens are also proven to improve food access and security, local biodiversity, climate change adaptation, social cohesion, and well-being.
Community gardens are also places of great cultural diversity, from the people who grow food to the volunteers that initiate the establishment of gardens and ensure their maintenance. Seeding Stories was created to capture the diverse food stories that exist within the community gardens throughout the Region of Waterloo. Whether it’s teaching food literacy, growing culturally appropriate foods or building innovative agricultural projects, this blog intends to share the experiences of youth, new Canadians, volunteers, and employees from local organizations that are playing a collective role in reimagining the regional food system.