On a basic level, the Food is Free movement is about giving people food. But Stacey Tress, who is bringing the movement to Yorkton, says it’s about more than that. She says that it’s about building community, and wants other people to get on board and offer up the food they can give to others.
The project began in Austin, Texas in 2012, with the goal being to start offering food to people from the front yard, whether doing it from a front yard garden or from a produce stand that is set up in the yard.
“They’re trying to create a community and bring people together when there’s an abundance to share. So they’ve inspired 200 cities worldwide now.”
The goal is to set up for little to no cost, the stand is made of salvaged materials and the food itself is from gardens, whether they are your own or those of your neighbors. The program also encourages a front yard garden, which Tress also has established, and encourages growing organic.
The idea is that it gives away food, but Tress says that she believes it’s more about meeting people and inspiring others in some way.
“The concept and the idea is that it generates so much more. It’s supposed to be food, but you start making connections within the community.”
Tress has seen examples of this in her own stand, as her neighbors have used her stand to give out some of their produce, and as a result has met more neighbors than she would have otherwise.
“Food connects us.”
It’s not a new idea Tress says, as sharing abundance with neighbors has always been something people do. Instead, it’s new way of doing an old idea, embracing social media to get the word out and meet your neighbors.
“One of my friends had commented that their dad had been giving away produce for years, and that’s just it, so have we.”
The difference with Food is Free is that it uses social media to spread information about what’s going on, who has stands where they are giving away produce as well as putting together information for local gardeners. Tress has also used her Food is Free stand to post information about compost workshops in the city as well as gardening articles.
“Let’s find out who’s doing what and where, and bring everybody together at a central page that people can find.”
Tress has been heavily involved in food projects within Yorkton for a number of years, and the Food is Free project is another way of getting involved with the city’s food needs and gardening community.
“A lot of the stuff I’ve done within the community over the years, whether it’s the Prairie Sun Seed Festival, on the board of the Assiniboine Food Security Alliance or other projects I’ve been involved in, has been to inspire. Inspire community, I’m a huge supporter of local foods, local farmers, local gardeners, local farmer’s markets and gardener’s markets. It all connects together, this is another way to support local food.”
Tress has the first Food is Free booth, at 151 Gladstone, and updates on what happening with Food is Free can be found at www.facebook.com/foodisfreeyorkton. She hopes to see more people set up their own stands around the city, and says people who set up can contact her through the Facebook page to spread the word.
“Give what you can, whether it’s your time, your food, or your ear to someone who would like to talk.”
