Strawberries are waking up in our northern garden, part of a project building community resilience through fresh food.
Growing More Than Food: Strawberries and Self-Reliance
Our strawberry patch is coming back strong, and it’s already buzzing with early-season energy. After months of dormancy, the plants are pushing up healthy green leaves, showing us just how much life has been waiting underground. This marks an exciting step forward in our ongoing effort to grow fresh food locally, right here in Northwestern Ontario.
Last year’s pilot project, supported by the Manitoba Agriculture Indigenous Food Systems and Agriculture program and the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, helped us test and prepare the land, build infrastructure, and experiment with a few varieties. Now, those efforts are taking root—literally. With dozens of plants thriving in the spring sun, we’re hopeful for a meaningful first harvest. Our goal isn’t just fresh fruit (though we’re looking forward to that too); it’s about creating small-scale, sustainable food systems that reflect our values: care for the land, community-led solutions, and resilience in the face of rising food costs and climate challenges.
This year, we’re planning to process a small run of strawberry preserves to test out a food product that’s truly community-grown. Every jar will carry a story of northern cultivation, shared effort, and our commitment to nourishing both people and place.
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