Commuting to Garden: Subsisting on Bell Island

Roseman, Sharon R. and Royal, Diane (2018) Commuting to Garden: Subsisting on Bell Island. In: Food Futures: Growing a Sustainable Food System for Newfoundland and Labrador. ISER Books, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, pp. 49-83. ISBN 9781894725453.

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Abstract

On a windy afternoon in August of 2015, Fred Parsons and his daughter Cheyenne showed us their greenhouse made of recycled lumber — the muffled sound of wind chimes fading as we moved away from their back porch. The greenhouse was filled with colours and smells of tomato, cucumber, carrot, beet, and mint. Outside, there were more plants, including green beans, rhubarb, strawberries, and raspberries. The year before, they had also cultivated potatoes and onions. In late summer and early fall, the two go berry picking. Their devotion to self-provisioning was evident in their thriving plants as well as winter preserves. Beyond their own tight-knit family unit, Fred, his wife Miranda, and Cheyenne are generous neighbours. When a friend fell ill and requested fresh blueberries, Fred picked five buckets for her in one day. As Fred put it, during the summer months “Every day I’m at this. Every day.”

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