Canada: Thinking about growing more of your own food? Calgary homesteader says you’re not the only one
Urban Farm School says program that had tens of people now has hundreds
By Jade Markus
CBC News
Jul 02, 2023
Excerpt:
Carmen Lamoureux, owner of Urban Farm School in Calgary, teaches people who live in the city how to grow more of their own food.
She added that what it means to be a homesteader has changed. Now, it’s not necessarily a requirement for people to meet 100 per cent of their food needs on their own property.
She said high grocery prices, concern about food quality and access, the COVID-19 pandemic, and wanting to connect with food systems are all reasons why Albertans have reached out to her to learn how to produce more of their own food.
“I’m definitely seeing a greater interest amongst people from the age of about 23 to 35 to 40.”
Lamoureux said she’s seen a “huge” uptick in students for the permaculture design certification she teaches. She said the course used to run twice a year in-person to less than 30 students, but now it’s offered online to around 300 students every session.
“I know for a fact through the teaching that I do with the permaculture design certification course that there are a ton of people out there of all ages who are really, really wanting to build more resilience,” Lamoureux said.
