A new student-run endeavour is offering the Camosun community access to local, organic produce right on their academic doorstep. The Camosun Farmbox began in April and Kim Cummins, Farmbox mastermind, spent the summer providing students and other community members with pre-ordered boxes filled with fruit, vegetables, greens, and herbs fresh from Greater Victoria farms. And the best part? The boxes can be picked up on campus.
Cummins, who is also a Camosun culinary arts student, started the program to fill what she saw as a void in Camosun’s food-security-focused activities.
“When I went to university in Montreal, a lot of these services were already established,” she says. “I got used to having a vegan, by-donation soup kitchen. I got used to having an on-campus grocer where I could pick up cheap peanut butter and subsidized bulk rice. When I came here for the culinary program, I thought, ‘Wait, none of this exists here?’”
Cummins saw the success of other community-supported agriculture projects and was inspired to start Farmbox on campus to address the needs of Camosun students.
“It’s super accessible and affordable, fits into students’ schedules, and helps them get good food in their diet,” she says.
But, it’s not just about offering students a convenient way to eat organically: Farmbox is also dedicated to creating sustainable relationships with local farms.
“There’s a new generation of farmers that need our support,” says Cummins. “Local young farmers are basically the ones that are feeding us.”
So, bearing that in mind, the Camosun Farmbox currently sources its produce from farms located as close as Fernwood and no further than Metchosin, all harvesting fully organic goods.
“I know it sounds cheesy, but you can really taste the love that went into growing this food,” says Cummins.
While Farmbox is focused on affordability, the $18-per-box price tag is steep for some students.
“It’s a good idea; I would do it if I could afford it,” says first-year healthcare assistant student Brittany Hilton. “I would eat organic if I could, but money is the issue.”
Second-year geology student Kyle Levia says the 18 bucks is worth it for local and organic food.
“It’s better to get your stuff from organic markets and local growers, not just because of the pollutants that are used in places like Mexico, but also because it takes less gas to transport it here,” says Levia.
Those who have already jumped on the Farmbox bandwagon are glad they did.
“It’s a fantastic program; I tell everyone I know about it,” says second-year culinary arts student Ayla Smith. “My favourite thing to get is the berries. They’re always so delicious.”
The next Farmbox can be picked up at Interurban campus on October 1; as for what will be in it, Cummins says it’s a secret.
“A lot of people tell me not to tell them what’s in the next box, because for them it’s like Christmas,” she says.
Visit facebook.com/CamosunFarmbox to order a box, learn more about the program, and get info on local food-security events.