Support local farmers

Food security is an issue in the country, but the answer is not to tell the greater population to "grow your own food." I have seen this mentioned too many times.

Whilst I applaud people who are prolific gardeners and can actually reap a bountiful harvest to provide for their families, I know these are the great minority. I wonder whether the experts that make this recommendation actually know the challenges we all face in trying to grow something in our gardens.

I am not a gardener, but I have tried to grow tomatoes, lettuce, cassava and herbs. The soil and climatic conditions were much different ten years ago. The tomatoes I grew, needed a lot of time and expertise and insecticide spray to keep the bugs and blight away. The herbs, especially the basil, grew in abundance but years later the ground is too hard and parched to get lovely green foliage. The lettuce, well that requires some skill, because I got a lettuce tree and not a full lush head. The cassava was easy, it grew and I harvested cassava, but never decided to try again. I still grow a few herbs, all in containers as the change in weather temperatures have decided that for us.

Growing food is hard, plain and simple. It takes knowledge, time, money, water and a space to grow it all in. After investing in money for containers, soil, fertilisers and nursery plants; the investment in time is needed to plant and give overall care. Then comes the reality: will I be able to reap what I sow? You probably would, but will this be enough to sustain your family?

I am not trying to turn you away from home gardening, it’s a good practice especially for the family, but you need to turn your attention to supporting local farmers and buying locally-grown produce. We are a nation that has become accustomed to a North American diet and as a result opt for those ingredients in the groceries.

The groceries are also importing a lot of produce that we are capable of growing locally and that becomes competitive for our farmers. Vegetables like spinach, tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms, cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce, cucumbers, zucchini, to name a few can all be grown locally.

Yet the grocery shelves are packed with these styrofoam plated, plastic-wrapped vegetables which are sold for a premium.

Children ask for strawberries over papaya or in-season fruits like pommerac or pommecethyre.

It is time we become more aware of the bounty of local goodness which we grow locally.

There are many small farmers who have concentrated on one type of produce and one type of growing method and are supplying customers with fresh produce. There are also small growers who supply the groceries with local mixed greens, local kale and mushrooms, I even spotted local romaine.

I support HydroMaster who has managed to create a business of supplying a variety of lettuce, herbs and amazing portabella, white and oyster mushrooms. I order eggs from a small farmer in Point Fortin, his eggs are always fresh and good-tasting, as a result of his good food for his chickens.

When I need honey I buy local and organic, guaranteed pure from Sean Carrera, Honey Kingdom Honey, not contraband honey or honey which is mixed with corn-syrup, yes it exists.

These are just a few people who are contributing to food security, these are the farmers we need to support, it’s simple economics of demand and supply. If the demand for their produce increases this encourages them to increase supply and even add new varieties.

Why not make it top of mind to read packaging at the grocery and support locally-grown items, make a better effort to get to the markets and even try growing a small pot of herbs.

Remember small steps lead to big rewards. Happy cooking.

Roasted pineapple gallette

1 recipe flaky pastry

1 small pineapple

⅓ cup brown sugar

1 tsp bitters

1 beaten egg

Preheat grill or broiler. Peel pineapple, remove eyes then cut into 4 lengthways. Remove centre core and slice pineapple pieces into ½-inch thick slices. Butter a baking tray and place pineapple into this, sprinkle with sugar and bitters. Grill or broil until pineapple turns brownish and sugar starts to bubble and caramelise.

Preheat oven to 400F.

Roll pastry into a 12-inch circle, place onto your baking tray.

Arrange the pineapples into the centre of the dough in circles, leaving a 2-3 inch border all around.

Gently fold the edges of the dough over the filling, do not cover the fruit.

Press gently to seal, brush with beaten egg, sprinkle crust with sugar.

Refrigerate uncovered for 30 minutes, then bake for 35 to 40 minutes until golden.

Serve with ice cream or custard.

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