LORI GREYELL
Port Moody Police Department Community Garden & Knowle Street Community Garden
What kinds of things do you grow or work with?
I mostly grow food: vegetables, herbs, edible or beneficial flowers, and fruits.
I work with people to build community within our community gardens and advocate for food security.
I also work with the ecosystem as a steward of soil, plants, and micro-organisms, creating biodiversity and symbiotic relationships wherever I can assist them in thriving.
What grows particularly well in the Tri-Cities / Port Moody area?
Pretty much everything except tropical fruits and vegetables, which could be grown in a greenhouse. We are in Zone 8, so we are fortunate to have a longer growing season on the southwest coast.
While we do get a lot of rain during the winter months, it is still mild enough for some edible plants to survive. Many biennials, such as brassicas (kale, broccoli, etc.), survive the winter and provide a spring harvest.
What do you enjoy most about working closely with plants, food, or the land?
I enjoy the entire process, from soil, seed, and plant to harvest. I enjoy connecting to the environment and being an active participant in stewarding our ecosystem while reaping the benefits of the food it creates.
Why is supporting local growing important?
Food sovereignty within our community is important for maintaining autonomy over our local food system. Not relying heavily on industrial and global food systems helps create resiliency and community control over food security.
Supporting our local farmers also boosts the local economy, provides access to fresher and more nutritious food, and results in a much smaller carbon footprint.
Growing your own food has many benefits, including knowing exactly where your food comes from, improving nutrition, supporting mental well-being through the practice of gardening, and helping supplement your groceries.
The bonus of growing food in a community garden is the community component: creating connections in the garden, educational opportunities, and a sense of belonging within our ecosystem.
What does growing food mean to you?
Growing food is an act of activism. It is taking control of your own food production and self-sufficiency to create a resilient, regenerative food system within your community. It helps change the paradigm of reliance on the global food market.
It is interconnectedness with the earth and being part of that dynamic relationship.
How did you get involved in growing, food, or the market community?
I was inspired by my grandma's garden in Creston, BC, as well as having a family with an agricultural background. I studied organic food growing and permaculture. With increasing experience, I became involved in advocating for food security in our community and helped the Grow Local Society build and establish community gardens.
I have run many workshops on growing your own food, taught kids about growing food and nutrition for a number of Vancouver schools, farmed and grown food for the food bank, and manage three community gardens in Port Moody with the Grow Local Society.
