Canadian Mukimo Recipe

Mukimo is a traditional Kenyan dish primarily common amongst ethnic groups from the Eastern and Central parts of Kenya. This main dish is usually present in major ceremonies or functions such as weddings, graduations, funerals and fundraising events. There are several ways to prepare mukimo and this can cause a slight variation in the ingredients used. I personally prefer a ‘green’ mukimo because I substitute protein that I would acquire from red kidney beans, black beans or pigeon peas with that of a meat side dish. In Kenya my family prepares mukimo with the following ingredients:

·         Shelled, fresh white corn

·         Irish potatoes

·         Kahurura (Pumpkin leaves)

·         Butter or margarine

Asian stores in bigger cities carry fresh sweet white and yellow corn and either one of the varieties can be used in the preparation of mukimo. Sweet corn is available throughout Ontario in late July to the Fall season.

Irish potatoes enable the mukimo to have a fine texture similar to that of mashed potatoes at the very end of the meal preparation. I recently discovered from a family member that lima beans (commonly known as butter beans) could be used as a substitute to Irish potatoes. Lima beans are a good source of fiber, as are most other legumes according to a study by Trinidad et al. (2009). Their fiber content provides health benefits in the prevention against chronic diseases such as coronary heart disease and diabetes (Trinidad et al. 2009; George Matlijan Foundation 2014). Lima beans are also rich in protein thus making them a good choice for individuals looking to cut down on carbohydrates obtained from Irish potatoes. It is important to note that purchasing dried lima beans will require an extra preparation step which I will highlight in the instructions below.

It would be great if pumpkin leaves and/or pumpkin powder were sold in an ethno-cultural vegetable section in local grocery stores however; spinach or fresh green peas are good nutritious alternatives to pumpkin leaves or pumpkin powder. Some people actually prefer using green peas to either one of the green leafy vegetables in their mukimo.

Below is a new list of ingredients and instructions on how to prepare mukimo.

Ingredients

·         Fresh sweet white corn or yellow corn

·         Spinach or fresh green peas

·         Dried lima beans

·         Butter or margarine

·         Salt to taste

Instructions

1.      Before washing the dried lima beans, spread them out on a lightly colored tray or plate and remove any stones or damaged beans.

2.      Rinse the beans thoroughly then proceed to soaking them in water for at least 8 hours or overnight. This shortens their cooking time and makes them easier to digest.

3.      Drain the liquid and rinse the beans with clean water.

4.      Place the beans in a pot and add three cups of water for every cup of beans then bring them to a boil for 30 minutes. Do not add any salt or seasonings before the beans are cooked, as this will harden them and increase their cooking time.

5.      Sprinkle some salt once beans are cooked and add some more water, the corn and peas/spinach to the mixture and boil for another 30 minutes or until all vegetables are cooked. It is advisable not to stir the mixture until the very last step.

6.      Once satisfied with the cooking, drain the remaining water and let the mixture simmer under low heat.

7.      Mix and mash the mixture. Add some butter/margarine for flavor. Continue mixing and mashing ensuring that the corn, beans and peas/spinach are evenly spread.

8.      The final product should be (light) green in color with a very fine texture and should neither be too dry or too moist.

Serve with beef or chicken stew or a soup of your choice.

Reference:

Lima beans. (2014). The George Mateljan Foundation. Retrieved from http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=59

Recipe Instructions adapted from: African Cook. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.africancook.co.ke/mukimo/

Trinidad, T. P., Mallillin, A. C., Loyola, A. S., Sagum, R. S., and Encabo, R. R. (2009). The potential health benefits of legumes as a good source of dietary fibre. British Journal of Nutrition, 103, 569-574. 

Angela Kabii

Undergraduate Research Assistant

ECVOntario

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Exploring The Factors That Challenge Refugee Immigrants’ Transition Into Canada

Kakuma is a town in the Northwestern part of Kenya that hosts the Kakuma Refugee Camp. The camp has been in existence since 1992 and currently hosts over 101,000 refugees who have fled wars in neighboring countries such as Sudan, Somalia and Ethiopia (UNHCR, 2013). There are few cases of Ugandans, Burundians and Congolese at the camp, but their numbers are not as high. Most refugees eventually migrate to other countries (mostly developed countries), and face several challenges as they try and adjust into their new environment. I want to share some of these challenges with you in the sections below.

I had the chance of interacting with individuals who immigrated to Canada on refugee status, some formerly at Kakuma Camp while others were generally from different East African countries. All these individuals shared one thing in common- they were brought up consuming fresh organic fruits, vegetables, animal products and meat linked to their culture. They shared with me their experiences on the accessibility of culturally appropriate foods in Canada and how these experiences have influenced their lifestyle.

A number of these immigrants originally came from communities that prepare foods with lots of different spices and a variety of organic vegetables which are hard to obtain, especially in a small city like Guelph; therefore commuting to a bigger city such as Toronto is often the easier way to obtain these commodities. The commute is one that takes up time that would have been invested in studies or work (for those employed) and this compromises each person’s priorities. None of the individuals I talked to found it necessary to lose out on making ‘an extra buck’ at their workplace or forgo school for the purpose of obtaining ethnic foods.

Remittance is another factor that influences these individual’s decisions to travel to the Greater Toronto Area or other culturally diverse cities to purchase cultural foods products. There is generally a sense of obligation for refugee immigrants to send money back to their family members besides fending for their own livelihoods here in Canada; this affects their mobility to these big cities where they can access ethnic foods from their culture.

Many refugee immigrants initially receive funding from the government to help them settle down, but after some time the benefits decline and they have to search for alternative sources of income. Often times, they lack adequate income and this influences the types of foods they purchase and the grocery stores from which they buy these foods. Since most refugee immigrants closely manage their wallet sizes, they end up settling for basic foods sold in supermarkets such as rice, pasta, beans and eggs thus leading to acculturation, with an affinity for relatively unhealthy processed foods with longer shelf lives.

Through the course of my discussion with some of these individuals, they expressed their health concerns with the foods available in Canada. They are aware of how cheap and readily available fast foods are but their greater concern lies within the consequences of consuming such foods and how it would affect their personal health and wellness. As they try to avoid developing chronic diseases and obesity by reducing consumption of unhealthy foods, they also put themselves at risk of nutrition deficiency because the vegetable portion of their diet is often missing. Their reasons for not buying vegetables are linked to the prices of these items and the lack of knowledge on what some of the vegetables in the stores are, therefore opting to stick to food items with which they were familiar.

Nostalgic memories of how different dishes are prepared in their original home came up during our discussions, and this brought about cravings for these cultural foods. I learned that most of these individuals attend potlucks hosted by an individual from an East African community at least once every four months. The attendees, who recognize the rarity of these vegetables and condiments, are usually assigned the task of preparing certain types of food in order to diversify the dishes on the table during the event. The potluck has been a useful way of helping every person overcome their homesickness as well as helping them preserve their cultural heritage in their new country and environment.

 

Reference:

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (2013). 2013 UNHCR country operations profile – Kenya. Retrieved from http://www.unhcr.org/pages/49e483a16.html

Angela Nyawira Kabii - URA
ECVOntario, SEDRD, University of Guelph

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Chinese Food Preferences in the GTA

A review of ‘Immigration and Chinese Food Preferences in the Greater Toronto Area’ by Adekunle, Filson and Sethuratnam (2013), Forthcoming in International Journal of Consumer Studies

             In 2009 field research was conducted in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) by the ethno-cultural vegetable (ECV) project team to better understand the connection between ethnicity and food consumption.  Since then the information collected has been used to write three research papers on each of the three largest ethnic groups in the GTA that compose 46% of the GTA’s overall population (2011) (Statistics Canada, 2013).  The first was on Afro-Caribbeans, ethnic food, and acculturation (Adekunle, Filson, Sethuratnam, Cidro, 2011).  The second was on South Asians, ethnic vegetables, and economic development (Adekunle, Filson, Sethuratnam, 2012).  A third is soon to be published on Chinese, with a focus on history of Chinese in Canada and factors that underlie decisions to purchase ECV, including the importance of language to Chinese Canadians.  Even though the research was conducted in the GTA, the information is applicable to many parts of Canada.  This makes the latest article particularly important for understanding consumption patterns of ethnic groups in Canada because Chinese Canadians are the largest non-European ethnic group (Statistics Canada, 2003).

             The following is a summary of the key points in the third paper mentioned above, entitled ‘Immigration and Chinese Food Preferences in the Greater Toronto Area’ (Adekunle, Filson, Sethuratnam, 2013):

             Chinese Canadians have a unique and long history in Canada. Some of the first Chinese immigrants to Canada came in the mid-1800s during the gold rush.  After helping build railways in western Canada and working as general labourers, eventually they created their own services, such as restaurants and laundries.  Chinese immigration increased in the 1960s when immigration policy in Canada shifted to the less discriminatory points system. Now there are increasing numbers of Chinese supermarkets, ethnic stores, media stations, and shopping centers as Chinese Canadians have moved into a wide variety of professions and vocations.
             The history of Chinese in Canada also extends to diets.  Chinese Canadian dishes have been influenced by Western culture, containing vegetables such as green peppers and relatively few ethnic vegetables. Post-points system Chinese immigrants have a more diversified diet and vegetables consumption. There are now movements away from the old traditional Chinese Canadian cuisines to more specific Cantonese, Sichuan and Mongolian foods among the most common eight Chinese cuisines.
            Vegetables are an important part of Chinese diets.  Unfortunately some of the desired vegetables are not always available. Highly demanded Chinese ECV include bok choy, Chinese broccoli, eggplant, Chinese greens and napa cabbage.  Chinese Canadians spent nearly 4 times the amount of their food budget on vegetables than the average Canadian. There is a willingness to pay a higher price for a desired product or for certain desired qualities, such as high quality, cultural reasons, freshness and health implications. The Chinese in the GTA were found to consume vegetables for health, nutrition, tradition, and preference.  Perceptions of health benefits included nutrients, fewer medical expenses, high fibre content, and prevention of chronic disease. 
            The overall estimated Chinese demand each month in the GTA for Chinese vegetables is $21 million. There is a large potential for Ontario farmers and local economies to benefit from local ECV production through increased employment opportunities, higher incomes, increased availability of nutritious foods, and environmental sustainability.  Though most ECV are still imported, increasing amounts of ECV are capable of being grown in Ontario. Bok choy, for example, the highest demanded Chinese ECV, is able to be grown in Canada and has the potential to be a profitable market. However, less than 3% of the Holland Marsh is presently dedicated to growing Chinese vegetables. There needs to be a better understanding of the market and value chain to take hold of these opportunities. 
            There are many factors that affect consumption patterns, including ethnicity, personal characteristics (for example: language, income, and media exposure) and new Canadians’ degree of acculturation.  Acculturation is a process that immigrants undergo to adopt the culture of the host group (Satia-Abouta, Patterson, Neuhouser, & Elder, 2002).  Acculturation is a reality many immigrants face. Out of the measures used to determine acculturation, Chinese were found to have relatively few friends outside their ethnic group, prefer their own ethnic foods, and respect the values of their ethnic group. These acculturation factors may influence their preference for Chinese vegetables. Households with higher incomes and fewer years spent in Canada are more likely to purchase ethnic vegetables.
            When faced with the decision to purchase a particular ECV or not, Chinese consumers’ consider quality, traceable production, versatility when cooking, and language. Traceability is particularly interesting when discussing local production of ECV, because it means that consumers are interested in where their food comes from and there is demand for local ECV. Another unique aspect of Chinese consumption decisions is how well they respond to their own language and culture. For example, Chinese Canadians generally respond positively to brands and images from China. It is therefore important for retailers to properly label ECV in Mandarin/Cantonese.
            The main area of growth in Canada is immigration.  As more people immigrate to Canada the demand for ECV increases. There is a large market for ECV and there is ability to grow some varieties of ethnic vegetables in Canada. There are opportunities for Canadian farmers that have yet to be realized within the ECV sector. Understanding the connection between ethnicity and consumption patterns may help create policies that will encourage local growth of ECV.  Local production of ECV offers healthier, fresher, higher quality, more sustainable food, all of which helps to improve the local, rural economy.

References

Adekunle, B., Filson, G., Sethuratnam, S. (2013). Immigration and Chinese food preferences in the Greater Toronto Area, International Journal of Consumer Studies. ISSN 1470-6423            (forthcoming)

 Adekunle, B., Filson, G., Sethuratnam, S. (2012).  Culturally appropriate vegetables and economic development. A contextual analysis. Appetite, 59(1), 148-154. Retrieved from             http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195666312001274

 Adekunle, B., Filson, G., Sethuratnam, S., & Cidro, D. (2011). Acculturation and consumption:   Examining the consumption behavior of people of Afro-Caribbean descent in Canada. Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development, 2(1), 297-313.  Retrieved from http://www.agdevjournal.com/attachments/article/202/JAFSCD_Consumption_Behaviors_Afro-Caribbeans_Canada_Sept-2011.pdf

 Satia-Abouta, J., Patterson, R.E., Neuhouser, M.L., & Elder, J. (2002). Dietary acculturation:       Applications to nutrition research and dietetics. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 102(8), 1105-1118. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/ article/pii/S0002822302902476

Statistics Canada. (2003). Ethnic Diversity in Canada: portrait of a multicultural society. Ottawa, ON. Retrieved from http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/89-593-x/89-593- x2003001-eng.pdf

Statistics Canada. (2013). Visible minority population and top three visible minority groups,           selected census metropolitan areas, Canada, 2011. Retrieved from http://    www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/as-sa/99-010-x/2011001/tbl/tbl2-eng.cfm

Morgan Sage
URA - ECVOntario, SEDRD, University of Guelph

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The Potential of ECV in CSAs

            “Local food” is now a common term as the Local Food Movement is becoming increasingly popular.  Right in the grocery store consumers can search for the green and white Foodland Ontario symbol.  Options also include buying directly from the farmers at the farm gate or by attending bustling farmers markets.  Gardens are a do-it-yourself kind of local that can be done even in the city.  Another way to buy local that is gaining more interest is the Community Shared Agriculture (CSA). 

 

            If you have never heard of CSAs, you are probably having a similar reaction as I did a few months ago: staring at the screen with a look of confusion as you rack your brain for a combination of words that would make sense with the abbreviation.  “What are CSAs exactly?” you may ask eventually. Typically CSAs are small and group owned farms with labour intensive processes.  At the beginning of the season consumers pay a set fee, providing the farmer with a budget for inputs. As the season progresses the consumer is provided with a weekly seasonal basket of fresh local food that is either delivered or picked up.  Depending on the farm, baskets can contain vegetables, fruit, meats, eggs, baked goods, honey, maple syrup, and flowers. The farmer and the consumer share the risks (eg. weather) and benefits (eg. harvest) of farming.  There are many benefits that CSAs can offer such as reduced energy and environmental costs from international imports (Fieldhouse, 1996), education and training for consumers and volunteers, high quality food, consumer input and feedback to farmers, increased rural and community development, increased freshness, and increased demand for local goods and services.  Some downfalls of CSAs may include organization difficulties, labour intensive processes, and timing challenges.  

 

            One of the benefits of CSAs that I found particularly interesting was food security (Fieldhouse,1996).  Over the course of the summer I have been learning a lot about food security and what it means.  It involves not only having access to enough affordable food, but food that is culturally appropriate and acceptable to the individual who consumes it (Government of Canada, 1998, p.9).  A study performed in Toronto found that immigrants desire fresh food they recognize from their country of origin (Koc, & Welsh, 2001). The problem is that ethnic vegetables that are available are often imported and of low quality (Adekunle, Filson, Sethuratnam, 2012).  If a key value of CSAs is food security it appears that they need to produce increasing amounts of ethnic food. I was surprised to find CSAs that are doing just that.  Ontario growers may not be able to grow all types of ethnic produce due to the cooler climate, but already CSAs near Guelph are growing ethnic vegetables alongside more Western produce.  For example:

 

The Ignatius Farm CSA just outside of Guelph offers Asian greens and eggplant, and more (http://www.ignatiusguelph.ca/csa/docs/2012%20Farm%20Brochure.pdf). 

 

Whole Circle Farm CSA near Acton, ON offers ethnic options such as bok choi, napa cabbage, chard, eggplant, khlrabi, hot peppers, and more (http://www.wholecirclefarm.ca).

 

Re-Root Farm near Harriston grows arugula, Asian greens, celeriac, cilantro, daikon, eggplant, kohlrabi, and more (http://www.reroot.ca).

 

Drumlin Farm CSA south east of Guelph grows a variety of herbs commonly used in ethnic dishes, collards, edamame, eggplant, pak choy, jalapeno peppers, cayenne peppers, chile peppers, sweet potatoes, tat soi, and more (http://www.drumlinfarm.ca/).

 

            Even though most of the CSA baskets still contain mostly produce from Western origins, CSAs are making headway.  A unique aspect of CSAs is the communication that can occur between consumers and the farmer.  The people who buy shares are able to have a say in what is planted and how it will be distributed (Fieldhouse, 1996).  The process may be slow, but ethnic buyers may encourage farmers to continue to experiment with ethnic vegetables in small quantities that can fit within their budget.  The CSAs give farmers the opportunity to experiment with ethnic vegetables that can grow in Canada and under what conditions, while sharing the risk with the consumers that are demanding the ethnic produce. 

 

              Not only do CSAs have the potential to encourage food security and growth of ethnic vegetables in Ontario, CSAs can also increase the public’s knowledge of ethno-cultural vegetables and ethnic foods in general.  Before becoming an Undergraduate Research Assistant this summer, I was working in a small town grocery store as a cashier.  Every so often my boss would tell me to take a good look at the newly arrived vegetables so I knew what they were when the rare customer bought them.  Those new arrivals would include vegetables like chayote squash, okra, taro root, daikon, and many other vegetables I’d never heard of prior to this summer.  Even vegetables such as cassava, egg plant and bok choy that the store carried majority of the time (in small quantities) were seldom purchased.  An overwhelming majority of people skip right by these vegetables if they don’t know what they are.  Most people can’t be bothered to figure out how to cook such vegetables.  In CSAs consumers are often exposed to new produce.  When CSAs grow ethnic vegetables there is potential to create public awareness of ethnic foods.  Often CSAs will provide nutritional information and recipes to consumers. The CSA consumers are introduced to produce they wouldn’t necessarily try when shopping in a grocery store, as a result their knowledge increases.  Even though CSAs are small scale, they have potential to increase food security, to experiment growing ethnic vegetables in Ontario, and increase public awareness of ethno-cultural vegetables.

 

Check out the following websites to find a CSA near you:

            Guelph Region: http://www.guelphwellingtonlocalfood.ca/csa

            All of Ontario: http://csafarms.ca/CSA%20farmers.htm

 

References:

 

Adekunle, B., Filson, F., Sethuratnam, S. (2012).  Culturally appropriate vegetables and    economic development. A contextual analysis. Appetite, 59(1), 148-154. Retrieved from             http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195666312001274

 

Government of Canada. (1998). Canada’s action plan for food security. Ottawa, ON. Retrieved   from http://www.agr.gc.ca/misb/fsec-seca/pdf/action_e.pdf

 

Koc, M., & Welsh, J. (2001). Food, foodways and immigrant experience.  Department of Canadian Heritage at the Canadian Ethnic Studies Association Conference. Retrieved             from http://canada.metropolis.net/EVENTS/ ethnocultural/publications/aliments_e.pdf

 

Fieldhouse, P. (1996). Community shared agriculture. Agriculture and Human Values, 13(3),        43-47. Retrieved from http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF01538226#

 

 

Morgan Sage, Undergraduate Research Assistant (URA)

ECVOntario

SEDRD, University of Guelph

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Pigweed consumption: it’s richer than you think!

Pigweed or Amaranthus dubius is an indigenous vegetable in Asia, Europe and Africa. It is a rare species in North America but it is possible to spot a few plantations, like I did last summer within the downtown area of Guelph. With climate modifications becoming an increasing concern in developing countries, farmers in several Kenyan communities are growing Amaranthus to deal with food and nutritional insecurity due to its drought resistant nature. Amaranthus is a fast growing plant species requiring very little to no maintenance. Most people may recognize it as a type of weed i.e. one does not need to obtain it from the local market. This makes it a suitable commodity for low-income households. Its nutritional benefits outweigh those in spinach and this has made Amaranthus a preferred vegetable substitute in several Kenyan communities. Commonly known as ‘terere’ among the Kenyan Ameru and Kikuyu tribes, Amaranthus is served cooked and is an accompaniment of ‘ugali’ during lunch or dinner. Included below is a simple ‘terere’ recipe as prepared by my family in Kenya.

Recipe:

Ingredients:

1 tbsp salt
Warm water
Bowl
1 bunch ‘terere’/pigweed
3 tbsp Cooking oil
1 onion chopped
3 pieces of garlic cloves
2 tomatoes diced
½ a bunch of coriander
Pepper

 Directions

Ø  Prior to cooking, remove the terere leaves from the stem then wash them in a bowl with warm water and salt until all the soil is out.

Ø  In a small saucepan, add the cooking oil followed by the chopped up onions.

Ø  Cook for a few minutes then add the crushed garlic, stir until golden brown.

Ø  Add the tomatoes and chopped up coriander and let them cook for a while.

Ø  (Optional) Add a pinch of salt and/or pepper to taste.

Ø  Add the terere leaves, stirring the mixture and allow cooking for 5-8 minutes.

Ø  Serve hot with ugali and beef stew/ bean stew.

Additional Recipes:

Terere lasagna courtesy of ‘mpishi poa’- http://www.mpishipoa.com/terere-lasagne/

Reference:

Maundu, P., Kimiywe J., Mbumi, M., Smith, I. F., Johns, T., and Eyzaguirre, P. B. Nutrition and indigenous vegetables in urban and peri-urban agriculture in Kenya. Biodiversity International.

Written by: Angela Kabii, ECVOntario, University of Guelph

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Preventing Obesity in Canada: Lessons from ECV and the Local Food Movements

The number of overweight or extremely overweight people (i.e., obese) in the United States and Canada (much of the Western world) has skyrocketed to shocking levels in recent years. The reasons for this unfortunate trend are well known, mainly the effect of limited to no physical activity, in addition to poor quality diets­, high in empty calories and low in essential nutrients that the mind and body need to function proficiently.

A study that came out about eight years ago in the Journal of Community Health examined the relationship between acculturation and obesity-related behaviors, i.e., physical activity and fast-food or (junk food) binging among 619 Asian-American and 1385 Hispanic adolescents living in Southern California (Ungar et al. 2004). The results of that study suggest that cultural assimilation, i.e. acculturation, is a risk factor for obesity-related behaviors (ibid.). Fortunately, since the risk-factors associated with obesity are behavioral risk factors, i.e. they can be altered and improved; different from other risk factors for obesity such as a person’s genetic makeup, it is possible to reverse these trends. Therefore, although fast-food makes up a significant portion of the Canadian and U.S. diet, it is possible that this diet can be changed. However, since physical activity is also important to our health, exercise is a must.

Slow-food is one example of a food movement which has gained international support and goes against the fast-food culture that is so pervasive in many places in North America. The movement was founded in Italy by Carlo Petrini in the late1980s. Like its name suggests, slow food encourages people to eat at a slower pace, ideally with family and friends around, and perhaps most importantly of all, it encourages us to appreciate the significance that foods hold for peoples’ culture and health (http://www.slowfood.com). Another social movement thing that has done a lot to remind Canadians that fast food is unhealthy and that there are acceptable alternatives, is the local food movement which is rapidly gaining popularity across Canada.

University of Guelph Prof. Gopi Paliyath offers insight into the health benefits of a diet rich in fresh vegetables, and especially ECVs. He points to the health benefits like the anti-oxidant effects and reduction of blood sugar and insulinomimetic activity that can result from consuming many ECV.  However, if these vegetables aren’t consumed within as little as five days of being picked, these nutritional effects decline markedly (Adekunle et al., 2011). Thus to be fresh these vegetables should ideally be grown close to where they are consumed.

There are many reasons why Canadians farmers should consider growing ethno-cultural vegetables (ECV) for local niche markets in Canada, beyond the obvious reason, the high demand for these vegetables among people of various ethnic groups who frequent urban and semi-urban markets, especially ethnic stores, in search of their highly preferred ECV. First, it is apparent that increased availability of ECV, many of which have to be prepared or cooked at home, will go a long way towards curbing obesity levels in this country, also considering that there is a large unmet demand for these vegetables as it stands now.  Thus, increasing the variability and availability of fresh quality local ethnic produce—highly nutritious when consumed swiftly following their local production and transport, is a sure-fire way to enrich the diet of the nation, and improve on the bad food habits of Canadians of all ethnicities. Lastly, increased availability of these vegetables in local markets will diversify the crop portfolio of Ontario horticultural producers, giving them an edge over other farmers who are not cultivating these vegetables. But, there also obstacles to increasing the availability of these vegetables locally including the fact that, those who want these vegetables are largely recent immigrants, whereas, the potential commercial producers are mostly of European descent.  The latter generally don’t eat these vegetables, don’t recognize the big demand for them, and of course do not know how to grow them in these relatively more northern conditions. No doubt some of these ECV require warmer conditions or different soils and can’t be grown in Ontario or other parts of Canada.

I will conclude this blog with the axiom first promoted by the young Hegelian, Ludwig Feuerbach, in the early 19^th century: “you are what you eat!”  Few things tell us more about our cultural identity than the foods we consume. This is especially true in the case of ethno-cultural vegetables (ECV), which are undoubtedly culturally significant to those who consume and live by them. Moreover, the fact that people of different ethnicities share similar cultural preferences for certain vegetables, indicates that different cultures hold their differences as well as their share of similarities with other distinct cultures from their own. Therefore, I would suggest that no two cultures are totally mutually exclusive, particularly when it comes to food. This was also found to be the case with the 250 Afro-Caribbean Canadians who were interviewed in the study on acculturation and consumption behaviors of this group of people (Adekunle et al. 2011). One of the study’s findings was that AC-Canadians are able to replace their staple ethnic vegetables with similar but more traditionally Canadian vegetables when the former are unavailable, although they prefer to consume their ECV, which also may be true of other ethnic groups living in Canada (ibid.).

 

By Andrew Filson (Undergraduate Research Assistant), ECVOntario

References:

Paliyath, G. (2011, March 25). Health benefits and shelf life of ECVs. Retrieved from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCrisuPv6X0&feature=related

Slow Food USA. Taste and culture (leaflet). New York. Online: http://www.slowfood.com

Ungar, J. B., Reynolds, K., Shakib, S., Spruijt-Metz, D., Sun, P., and Johnson, C.A. (2004). ‘Acculturation, physical activity, and fast-food consumption among Asian-American and Hispanic adolescents,’ Journal of Community Health, 29(6):467-481. Retrieved from: http://www.springerlink.com.subzero.lib.uoguelph.ca/content/g75834n27284jp75/

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Students' shallow wallets may put them off from shopping at the FM

 

We enjoy the presence of various institutions in our societies. Some of these institutions act as political, economic or social institutions. Currently, the Farmers Market is one of the most important institutions I have ever been introduced to, and probably the most notable socio-economic institution I have ever visited. Anyone who has ever visited this market would agree with me that its uniqueness in terms of items offered coupled with diversity of vendors is mind blowing. And if you haven’t visited it yet, then this piece of writing might give you the urge of giving it a shot. First and foremost, it is important to know that every Saturday Morning and Wednesday afternoon (summer time) in Guelph, Ontario, hundreds of buyers throng the Market to buy farm fresh produce of high quality directly from the farmers (producers) which they can’t find anywhere else and the atmosphere of the marketplace itself is so tranquil—an opportunity all buyers dearly love. The presence of the Farmers Market attracts a few people in the area turning once-deserted areas to be once more inhabitable; attracting businesses and employment opportunities. It is not a surprise that I am currently a new customer—thanks to the ECVONTARIO project. I just couldn’t vividly comprehend how it happened but after the completion of my three times visit of study in this market, I was left with I must-come-back feeling” because there’s something I have realized about the sellers which makes them unique. During my visit to the market, I would always try to buy some vegetables and other products that caught my attention, and chat with the farmers as well. This made me realized and appreciates the great zest sellers (farmers) possess. These farmers love the farmers market. They love it because a lot of them have the Farmers Market as the only exciting place where they connect with their customers who love what they (farmers) produce, sell and appreciate their work by always buying their produce. This therefore makes Farmers market a source of income for farmers and creates a sense of community.

But as mentioned early, little did I know that Farmers Market just feels like home until I joined the ECVONTARIO Team of researchers and later assigned the duty of gathering University of Guelph students’ perceptions about the Farmers Market. This is a task I really relished.  I was beyond thrilled to survey the students not only because it was an opportunity to meet and interact with them but also very important to the project and the future of local agricultural production since students represent current and future farmers and consumers not only in Ontario but Canada. Students’ diversity in knowledge and backgrounds also makes them a good representative of the entire population. To get the opinions of the students, I had to organize trips to the Farmers Market for three consecutive weeks where I had to openly talk with any student that I found at the market, to ask them about why they choose to buy their vegetables there. I also had an open group discussion with some of the students I found in classes, library, and school cafeterias.

The most interesting finding from the study was the existing disparity between the number of students that know about the FM and those willing to purchase from there. Students cited reasons such high prices” charged by the vendors/producers and Saturday should be their “rest day”.  Like anyone else out there who loves buying farm fresh produce mostly provided by the Farmers Market, students are like that too. A lot of the students who participated in this study don’t like “over-industrialized foods” provided by superstores. But the irony is that they choose purchasing their groceries at superstores than at the Farmers Market. Reason being that the high prices from the FM cited early make groceries from the FM rather unaffordable to most students. This leaves us students with no choice but to purchase our groceries from multinational corporations although we (students) are aware that groceries from the superstore are low quality compared to the Famers Market’s: a clear case of choosing quantity over quality. And the argument that students love the Farmers market but choose to purchase their groceries from superstores than FM itself is supported by some of the reasons highlighted below which were put forth by students themselves during their groups discussions:

·         One of the most unappreciated local activities you can do is to buy local food. Not only does buying local support our own economy, and our own people, it is environmentally friendly and much better for your own health, regardless of age, sex or cultural affiliation. Students contrasted buying local from buying from a superstore by asserting that: When you buy your produce, or meat from a supermarket, you are buying food that is often grown in poor conditions, through environmentally harmful ways, and then harvested to early and thrown on trucks to be driven across the plane.

·         Whether organic or not, local food can be picked ripe and eaten fresh. This yields more nutrients and less harmful preservatives, meaning that you will feel energized, live longer, and prevent disease. Besides the obvious personal benefits of fresh foods, this food is better for the environment.

·         Even for you carnivores out there, fresh local meat is much tastier when free-range (i.e. this isn’t no-frills cardboard flavored chicken) and much better for you without all the steroids, hormones and antibiotics needed for industrial farming practices. Plus the vegans can approve because the animals live happier and healthier lives

These quotations make me feel that not only do we (students) need ECV (local vegetables), but we also need other food locally produced. We need fresh, quality and authentic food/vegetables.  We need a food that creates a long lasting relationship with us; a food from home; that tastes like home. But the price hikes and poor availability of ECV at the FM is making it hard to enjoy them.

Prepared by:

Kur Mayen

Undergraduate Research Assistant

ECVOntario, SEDRD

University of Guelph

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