Many of Whistler’s most popular restaurants emphasize their use of local products, whether it’s seafood from Squamish or produce from north of Whistler. But have you ever wondered why it matters that your potatoes come from Pemberton, rather than P.E.I.?
That’s where Astrid Cameron Kent comes in.
She knows a lot about our local food system. Through her business, Astrid’s Fine Foods, she distributes fine artisan’s products, like cheeses, to local restaurants and grocery stores, working with farmers to source products, and managing the relationship between producer and client.
“It’s not that easy to just have your business go all local and green, and you do need support,” she explained.
Aside from her private business endeavours, Cameron Kent was one of the panelists at the first Anything Grows discussion, which took place at MY Millennium Place last week. Her message to the audience was simple and straightforward: take small, mindful actions towards supporting local farmers, and celebrate food.
She is also the director of Slow Food Sea to Sky, a branch of the global non-profit organization, and helps to organize the annual Feast of Fields, which raises money for Farm Folk City Folk, a provincially registered charity that helps to educate people and showcase how easy it actually is to enjoy and explore the local food systems.
“It’s all about celebrating food, celebrating life, bringing the community together through the culture of food,” she said of the Aug. 30 Feast of Fields in Whistler.
But Cameron Kent didn’t always have such an enthusiastic view of food.
She has been an avid athlete for years, but up until about nine years ago, she was living on a steady diet of Starbucks and packaged food.
“I was getting kind of sick, and I went to a naturopath and he said, ‘start eating straight from the ground.’”
Though she had grown up in a household with a large garden, Cameron Kent hadn’t embraced her family’s wholesome attitude towards food.
“My mother had a big garden and I resisted it my whole upbringing,” she said with a laugh. “And I hated the work.”
But her visit to the naturopath led her to begin eating a steady diet of unprocessed, natural foods. After returning to her roots, literally and figuratively, her health issues disappeared.
Now, Cameron Kent wants to help others understand the value and power of natural, locally grown food.
While there are plenty of ways to learn more about the Sea to Sky’s food systems, the 2008 Feast of Fields is a great place to start. You’ll have an opportunity to speak with chefs, farmers and foodies about some of the key issues surrounding food production, and get to enjoy some delicious cuisine and wine while you’re at it.
“You get a wine glass and a linen napkin, you enter the event,” Cameron Kent explained. “All the food is local and it’s served on something that is edible, so there’s no paper, no plastic, no cups.”
The event, at Rebagliati Park, unites local chefs and farmers, bringing the community together through a shared love of food. And there are some big names participating in the annual event — Araxi’s, Bearfoot Bistro, North Arm Farms, and Elements are just a few of the local businesses that will be on-hand offering up eats and info.
“It’s really extraordinary for some people to come and to be able to talk to the chefs and talk to the farmers and talk about how it all works,” Cameron Kent said, adding that the event is a unique experience for many who have never had the chance to learn about farming, or where food comes from.
“We had some people from Hong Kong come last year — they came to Whistler for a trip — and their kids had never been on a farm and it was the most amazing event they’d ever been to.”
Educational booths from a wide range of local environmental and food-related organizations will also be set up on-site, and local performers will provide the musical backdrop for the afternoon.
The event used to be held on the same weekend as the Slow Food Cycle, but organizers thought it might be a bit too much of a good thing, so they decided to push it back a bit, and bring it to Whistler. This year, the gourmet picnic will be held on Saturday, Aug. 30 from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m.
Tickets must be purchased in advance — they’re available at Whistler.com or at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler the day of the event — and proceeds go towards Farm Folk City Folk, and a portion will go back towards the Whistler Community Services Society’s community greenhouse project.
If the $80 admission doesn’t fit into your budget, but you’d still like to participate, it’s possible to earn your keep; contact Cameron Kent at astrid@astridsfinefoods.com to volunteer.
For more information on the 2008 Feast of Fields, visit www.ffcf.bc.ca/whistlerfeast/aboutUs.html .
