The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the question of resiliency to the forefront. How well-positioned are we to recover from or adapt to disruptive change when it comes to our economic system, food system, or even relationships? At the same time as this current disruption has highlighted some serious systemic shortcomings, it has conveniently provided many of us with an opportunity to build more resiliency into our lives.
No commute and, for a large number of us, no work has meant a lot of extra time on our hands while confined to home. Why not invest some of that time in building self-reliance, our ability to fulfill some of our own needs, both as individuals and a community? How we feed ourselves is one of the most effective places to begin. This might be the year you start seeds indoors for the first time or transform a swath of lawn into a veggie patch. You might get out the tools and build a cold frame to give your garden bed a head start or a compost bin to create your own garden fertility. Becoming acquainted with which wild plants are safe to eat would be a great use of time if you’re so inclined. Many people are relearning the art of homemade bread or yogurt, or passing along cooking skills to their children while they have far less hectic schedules.
Especially in their current state of isolation, an elder in your life would probably love to be asked for their wisdom on all manner of do-it-yourself projects that would have been standard practice back in their day. What might they know about designing root cellars or cold rooms to store extra fall vegetables, keeping pruning tools sharp, or the surest way to get crisp pickles?
Shared knowledge is part of what makes a community resilient. So let’s pass along our newfound skills as we develop them, online or over the phone for now, but eventually through a hands-on sharing that will connect and empower all of us.
Jackie Skrypnek is the President of Cultivate Cochrane. Cultivate Cochrane intends to facilitate this building and exchange of collective know-how and is seeking community feedback on how best to serve Cochrane’s needs and interests. Have your say by filling out the short survey at cultivatecochrane.com.
