THE FIRST TYPE OF “GREENHOUSE”
CONSISTED OF HEAVY PLASTIC ON THE
FENCING THAT WAS PUT UP AROUND THE
GARDEN. THIS ABSORBED MORE HEAT TO
QUICKEN THE GROWTH OF THE PLANTS.
THIS WAS DONE BECAUSE OF THE SHORT
GROWING SEASON.
IN 1957, THE UNIVERSITY OF BRANDON
(AGRICULTURE FACULTY) EMPLOYED A
STUDENT FROM THE UNIVERSITY TO
CONDUCT A STUDY ON THE SOILS AND
GROWING CONDITIONS IN THE
NORTHERN CLIMATE.
THE FIRST GREENHOUSE UTILIZED IN THE
STUDY WAS CONSTRUCTED OF 2” X 4”
LUMBER AND HEAVY PLASTIC.
IN THIS GREENHOUSE HE GREW: TOMATOES,
CUCUMBERS, WATERMELON AND
PUMPKINS, WHICH HE FOUND GAVE
THEM THE START THEY NEEDED TO GROW
IN THE NORTHERN CLIMATE.
WHAT STARTED OUT AS A STUDY, ACTUALLY
BECAME A FOOD SECURITY INITIATIVE AS
MORE LOCAL PEOPLE FOLLOWED SUIT.
OUR NEXT EXPERIENCE WITH A GREENHOUSE
CAME WHEN MOM WAS HIRED AS A NUTRITION
HEALTH ADVISOR FOR OUR LOCAL SCHOOL. THE
WORKSHOPS SHE ATTENDED INCLUDED
WORKING WITH A GREENHOUSE. THE SCHOOL
APPLIED TO ESTABLISH ONE FOR THE
COMMUNITY AND CHILDREN TO EXPERIMENT
WITH A WIDER VARIETY OF FRUITS AND
VEGETABLES. THIS WAS A BIG PLUS FOR OUR
COMMUNITY, BUT AS THE NEXT SEASON CAME
ALONG WE FOUND THAT THE STRUCTURE OF
THE GREENHOUSE WAS NOT STABLE ENOUGH
TO HANDLE OUR NORTH. THE METAL TUBES
THAT WERE THE FRAMEWORK WHICH THE
PLASTIC WAS ATTACHED TO WERE NOT STRONG
ENOUGH.
WITH THIS ADDITION TO OUR
COMMUNITY, THE GREENHOUSE WAS A
PLUS, BECAUSE
GROWING UP IN THE NORTH, BEING AN
ABORIGINAL, LIVING OFF THE LAND
(TRAPPERS DAUGHTER), AND HAVING TO
MAKE DO WITH WHAT WE HAD. OUR
DIETS CONSISTED OF WILD MEAT
(MOOSE, BEAVER, LYNX, DUCKS, GEESE,
FISH), POTATOES, WILD VEGETABLES &
FRUIT.
WILD MEAT SUCH AS MOOSE & FISH
WERE AVAILABLE YEAR ROUND
WILD MEAT-BEAVER, LYNX, DUCKS &
GEESE WERE EATEN IN THEIR SEASON.
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POTATOES COULD BE EATEN YEAR ROUND
AS THESE WERE KEPT IN A ROOT CELLAR
OTHER WILD VEGETABLES WERE EATEN IN
THEIR SEASON.
WILD FRUIT WAS EATEN IN THEIR SEASON
OR DRIED FOR THE WINTER MONTHS.
MEDICINES WERE ALSO UTILIZED FROM
THE WILD. THERE WERE NO MEDICAL
SERVICES AVAILABLE TO US ON THE TRAPLINE, SO DAD WOULD LOOK FOR A PLANT
TO USE TO HEAL OUR INJURIES. SOME OF
THESE PLANTS WERE EITHER DRIED OR
MADE INTO TEAS TO STORE FOR WINTER
USAGE.
FOOD INSECURITY
THE NUMBER ONE FACTOR IN FOOD INSECURITY
IS WHEN ALL PEOPLE, AT ALL TIMES, HAVE NO
PHYSICAL AND ECONOMIC ACCESS TO
SUFFICIENT, SAFE AND NUTRITIOUS FOOD TO
MEET THEIR DIETARY NEEDS FOR AN ACTIVE
AND HEALTHY LIFE.
OUR FOOD MUST BE DELIVERED TO OUR
NORTHERN COMMUNITIES EITHER BY TRAIN, BY
PLANE, OR IN WINTER BY WINTER ROADS. IN
ORDER FOR US TO RECEIVE FRESH FOODS THAT
ARE NOT IN OUR ABORIGINAL DIET IT WILL COST
A FORTUNE. (THESE WILL STILL NOT BE FRESH)
•BY TRAIN – 2 TO 3 DAYS
•BY PLANE – FLY IN DAILY-VERY PRICEY
•BY WINTER ROADS, DEPENDING ON WEATHER
MAYBE 1 WEEK.
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BAYLINE REGIONAL ROUNDTABLE ARE
PARTNERING WITH NORTHERN HEALTH
FOOD INITIATIVES AND ARE WORKING
TOGETHER TO BRING FOOD SECURITY TO
OUR NORTHERN COMMUNITIES.
FREEZER PROGRAM
POULTRY PRODUCTION
POULTRY PRODUCTION WAS INTRODUCED TO
OUR NORTHERN COMMUNITIES BY PROVIDING
THEM WITH BABY CHICKS, EQUIPMENT,
MANUALS AND ONE-ON-ONE INSTRUCTION ON
HOW TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR POULTRY TO
BRING THE FINISHED PRODUCT TO THE TABLE.
FOR MYSELF, LIVING IN WABOWDEN, I WAS
INTRODUCED AT AN EARLY AGE TO
GARDENING AND A VARIETY OF VEGETABLE
SEEDS. THESE WERE MADE AVAILABLE
THROUGH AN EXPERIMENTAL FARM THAT
WAS ESTABLISHED IN WABOWDEN IN THE
LATE 50’S.
WE HAD AN ESTABLISHED GARDEN AT
HOME, WITH JUST ROOT CROPS, POTATOES,
CARROTS, TURNIP AND ONION, THESE WERE
SUPPLIMENTED TO OUR DIET OF WILD
FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.
.
THEN IN THE EARLY 70’S, WHEN MOM
STARTED HER JOB WITH THE SCHOOL AS A
NUTRITION HEALTH ADVISOR AND
GARDENING INSTRUCTOR, WE WERE THEN
INTRODUCED TO A WIDER VARIETY OF
VEGETABLES, DUE TO THE FACT ON A FEW
OF THE WORKSHOPS MOM ATTENDED, LOW
AND BEHOLD A GREENHOUSE WAS
SUPPLIED TO OUR SCHOOL. NOW WE
COULD REALLY EXPERIMENT.
BRRT ALONG WITH NHFI AND MAFRI ARE
PROMOTING GARDENING TO ALL OUR
COMMUNITIES, WHICH HAS BEEN VERY
SUCCESSFULL.
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WITH THE ACCESSIBILITY AND AVAILABILITY
OF FOODS HIGH IN SALTS, SUGAR AND FAT
FOUND IN THE FAST FOODS, OUR ABORIGINAL
PEOPLE STARTED TO SEE A CHANGE IN THEIR
HEALTH.
THESE HEALTH PROBLEMS CONSISTED OF
DIABETES, OBESITY AND HEART DISEASE.
PEOPLE WERE MOVING INTO TOWN AND THE
STORES WERE SUPPLYING THE PROCESSED
FOODS, AT A CHEAPER PRICE THAN THE
“GOOD FOOD”
AGAIN AN ADVANTAGE WOULD BE TO
HAVE A GREENHOUSE.
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OBESITY
IT WAS MADE MORE CONVENIENT TO GO TO
THE STORE TO PURCHASE THESE ITEMS,
INSTEAD OF FORAGING THROUGH THE FOREST
TO GATHER THEIR OWN FOOD.
OUTDOOR EXERCISE IS AN IMPORTANT PART
OF A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE.
ALSO BEING IN THE NORTH AS MENTIONED
BEFORE, THERE WAS NO FRESH FRUIT AND
VEGETABLES ON THE SHELVES TO PURCHASE.
DIABETES
WE ALL KNOW THAT IN OUR ABORIGINAL
COMMUNITIES THERE IS AN EPIDEMIC OF
DIABETES.
WITH THE INTAKE OF THESE PROCESSED
FOODS, NOT HAVING ACCESS TO THE
FRESH FRUIT AND VEGETABLES, ONLY
BUYING THEIR MEAT FROM THE STORE,
INSTEAD OF HUNTING AND FISHING.
NOW WITH THE ADVANTAGE OF
TRAVELLING BY TRAIN OR PLANE THEY
ARE INTRODUCED TO MORE FAST FOODS,
AND CHOSING, NOT TO LIVE ON THEIR
WILD MEATS AND NATIVE PLANTS,
DIABETES SETS IN.
THIS I CAN READILY APPLY TO MY OWN
MOTHER. SHE RAISED US ON THE WILD
MEATS AND NATIVE PLANTS. ON THE
BIRTH OF MY YOUNGEST BROTHER, WHO
WAS BORN WITH ASTHMA, WE HAD TO
MOVE INTO TOWN. SHE THEN HAD TO
TAKE A JOB, TO HELP SUPPORT THE
FAMILY. THIS INVOLVED EXTENSIVE
TRAVEL TO OTHER CENTRES, AND AS A
RESULT, WAS NOT EATING HER USUAL
DIET OF TRADITIONAL FOODS. SHE HAS
HAD DIABETES SINCE.
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WE HAVE ALSO FOUND THAT WE ARE NOW
SUFFERING MORE WITH HEART
PROBLEMS.
THIS I BELIEVE IS BECAUSE INSTEAD OF
GOING OUT INTO THE FOREST TO
RETRIEVE OUR DAILY FOOD, (TRAPPING,
HUNTING, FISHING), WE ARE SITTING
BACK WATCHING TV, WARMING UP
MICROWAVABLE FOOD, NOT
EXERCISING, EATING PROCESSED FOOD
AND NOT WATCHING OUR DAILY
CONSUMPTION OF FOOD.
NOW COMES TO THE FACT THAT OUR NORTH
IS IN GREAT NEED OF GREENHOUSES.
THIS WOULD ENABLE US TO GROW
DIFFERENT VARITIES OF FRUITS AND
VEGETABLES, THAT ARE WELL KNOWN TO
THE SOUTH.
WE WOULD GET THE EXERCISE THAT COMES
WITH LOOKING AFTER A GREENHOUSE.
CINDY’S
GREENHOUSE
HAVE OUR OWN FRESH FRUIT AND
VEGETABLES, INSTEAD OF HAVING TO PAY THE
PRICE OF FREIGHT, WAITING FOR THE TRAIN
OR WINTER ROAD TRANSPORTATION TO
DELIVER THIS FRESH FRUIT OR VEGETABLES
TO OUR STORES.
TEACH OUR CHILDREN HOW TO PLANT AND
TAKE CARE OF THE GREENHOUSES.
ENABLE OUR YOUTH TO LOOK FORWARD TO
SUPPLYING THEMSELVES AND THEIR
COMMUNITY WITH THE FRESH FRUIT AND
VEGETABLES, THAT CAN BE GROWN IN
THESE GREENHOUSES.
WE HAVE ALSO DEBATED WITH THE USE OF
THE GREENHOUSE, BECAUSE AS WELL THE
COST OF FREIGHT TO BRING THE
GREENHOUSE MATERIAL TO OUR NORTH.
SO – WE HAVE USED OUR IMAGINATION AS
TO WHAT WOULD BE MORE FEASIBLE.
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USING OUR OWN RESOURCES, LUMBER
MADE FROM OUR FORESTS
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HYDRO’S DISCARDS OF TUBING LEFT
BEHIND.
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OLD TRAMPOLINE FRAMES.
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ALSO WITH THE HIGH COST OF ENERGY,
WE HAVE BEEN USING WOOD
FURNACES/STOVES TO HEAT OUR
GREENHOUSE IN THE EARLY SPRING.
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SO FAR, WE HAVE NOT GRADUATED TO
USING A GREENHOUSE YEAR ROUND, BUT
WITH ATTENDING THIS WORKSHOP, I
HOPE TO GATHER ENOUGH
INFORMATION TO MAKE THIS A
POSSIBILITY.
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TO THE NORTHERN GREENHOUSE
WORKSHOP GROUP FOR INVITING
ME, TO HAVE ME SHARE OUR
TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS OF
LIVING IN OUR MANITOBA NORTH
AND GOING FORWARD WITH THE
HELP OF THE PARTNERS I AM
INVOLVED WITH: BAYLINE
REGIONAL ROUNDTABLE,
NORTHERN HEALTHY FOODS,
HEALTH CANADA, MANITOBA
AGRICULTURE (MAFRI), THE
BAYLINE COMMUNITY COUNCILS,
AND THE FIRST NATIONS
COUNCILS I REPRESENT.