Locavore: From Farmers' Fields to Rooftop Gardens - How Canadians Are Changing the Way We Eat

by Sarah Elton

Strawberries in January, fresh tomatoes year-round and New Zealand lamb at all times--these well-travelled foods have a carbon footprint the size of an SUV. But there is a burgeoning local food movement taking place in Canadian cities, farms and shops that is changing both the way we eat and the way we think about food. Locavore describes how foodies, 100-milers, urbanites, farmers, gardeners and chefs across Canada are creating a new local food order that has the potential to fight climate change and feed us all. Combining front-line reporting, shrewd analysis and passionate food writing to delight the gastronome, Locavore shows how the pieces of a post-industrial food system are being assembled into something infinitely better. We meet city-dwellers who grow crops in their backyards and office workers who have traded their keyboards for pitchforks. We learn how a group of New Brunswick farmers saved the family farm, why artisanal cheese in Quebec is so popular and how a century-old farm survives in urban British Columbia, bordered by the ocean on one side and by a new housing development on the other. We follow food culture activists as they work to preserve the genetic material of heritage plants to return once-endangered flavours to our tables. In recounting the stories of its diverse cast of characters, Locavore lays out a blueprint for a local food revolution.

Genres: Food, Nonfiction, Canada, Sustainability, Green, Gardening, Environment

256 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2010

About the author

Sarah Elton is an award winning and bestselling author and journalist.
Sarah has written four books and edited one anthology. Locavore: From Farmers’ Fields to Rooftop Gardens, How Canadians Are Changing the Way We Eat and Consumed: Food for a Finite Planet both explore sustainability and our food.
Her latest book is for young people and is titled Meatless? A Fresh Look at What You Eat.
The first book she worked on is an anthology of writing titled City of Words: Toronto Through her Writers' Eyes.
Visit Sarah online at sarahelton.ca or on twitter @SarahAElton.

Reviews

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. I do love a book that makes me think, and boy, did this book do that! Locavore is about local food and its availability, sustainability and security, as well as the state of the whole Canadian food system - which sounds like it would be a heavy, didactic, and likely depressing read, but it's not ... at all! Sarah Elton's writing is passionate, engaging, and not at a soapbox-ey. Without a doubt there are some alarming things going on in our food system, but the stories that Elton tells of food growers, producers, suppliers, consumers and researchers from across Canada who are coming up with new, innovative and sustainable ideas are truly inspiring and hopeful. Elton also takes a very pragmatic approach, recognizing that it's not realistic to think that the average person will give up the wide variety of foods and products that they've become accustomed to; but:

  "We don't have to abandon coffee, chocolate and spices to support a new food system. Rather, the ideal of a strong local food economy is to eat good, healthy food that is produced with the least environmental impact. This usually means food that is produced nearby, but includes imports that are produced and transported sustainably."

I have so many pages flagged in this book that I'll never get everything into a review, so I'll just wrap up with: if this is a topic that even remotely interests you, read this book! It's thought-provoking, interesting, and compelling!

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sarah Elton, author of Locavore, is not an ‘all or nothing’ local eater. In the first chapter she states that she buys products that would otherwise be off-limit to a 100% local Canadian eater: bananas, oranges, olive oil and rice. Instead, her point of view is, “if you can grow it here, I won’t buy it from there“.

From this point on, I knew I would love this book. This is exactly how I feel about local eating; you don’t need to give up the bananas, but you can buy the eggs/meat/dairy/wheat/root vegetables/summer produce that you do have available. If you are a fan of In Defense of Food, Animal Vegetable Miracle, or Food Inc, you will love Locavore. It touches on many of the same issues – such as how we’re not eating real food anymore and the power of Farmer’s Markets – and expands on what’s happening all over Canada with respect to Local Eating. From a farmer-run food coop in New Brunswick, to organic and heritage wheat in Saskatchewan, to an urban farm in Vancouver, Locavore optimistically tours Canada.

(And while Canadian-focused, I’d be willing to bet that across the US similar stories are occuring. You don’t have to be Canadian to enjoy this book)

The only reason I didn't give this book 5*, is that it's slightly condescending towards Alberta, and the energy economy - most of the time Alberta is mentioned, it's in the phrasing "some farmer went to Alberta to work in the oil industry, made tons of money, but found the province soul-less and all about work, so came home to have a family". The author could have phrased these attitudes much more neutrally.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I LOVED this book. Sarah Elton's philosophy on food is pretty simple and straightforward - if it can be grown and produced here in Canada, don't spend your hard-earned grocery dollars buying it from some place else. Invest in your community, the environment and your health by making mindful choices of what you eat and paying attention to where it came from.

In Locavore, Elton travels from province to province collecting the stories of farmers, chefs, environmentalists and cheesemongers who are all committed to the local food movement in one way or another. Through these stories and anecdotes, she shows readers where our food actually comes from (sadly, most of it is flown in from other countries) and what a tragic impact that has on Canada's farmers and on the planet as a whole. She also discusses the steps Canadians are making to fix this issue, ending with an optimistic illustration of what the food culture in Canada *could* be if each of us were just a little more mindful of our purchases.

As someone with no previous knowledge of Canada's food industry, I appreciated the way Elton simplified the system. This book is about more than food; it's about people. It's easy to ignore slogans telling us to "eat local" ... not so easy to ignore that idea when you read about farmers who are losing everything and grocery stores who are choosing to stock apples from Fiji instead of apples grown down the street because the Fiji apples are cheaper.

Overall, an inspiring read that's challenged me to re-think how and where I shop for groceries.

[Jess · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the thought behind the first chapter of this book. But the other chapters are personal experiences and not as factual or inspiring as the introduction. I was expecting more on an informational level not a personal one.

[❀ Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This well-researched and thought provoking book should be discussed in families, at school and in our communities. Elton travels the country, exposing the challenges for family farms and how buying from farmer's markets and eating local is helping the farmer, the environment and the families who know what they are buying and how it was grown.

although this book was published in 2010 it is still current and has left me thinking about planting some raspberry bushes and dedicating myself more intently to my small garden this summer. Already, we enjoy some of the local markets and are conscious to buy local when we can but this book is encouraging me to be more mindful with our purchases.

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

How I Came To Read This Book: Harper Collins inadvertently recommended it to me and I requested it from the library and it appeared in no time.

The Plot: The book is basically a look at a variety of Canadian alternatives to the industrial food system, in both rural and urban centres, from coast to coast. The topics are as diverse as the artisan cheese movement in Quebec to the rise of new, 'young' farmers in the Annapolis Valley region not too far from my adopted new city. The general idea of the book is to profile a bunch of different alternatives, explain why they're beneficial, if not essential, compared to our mass, accessible food system, and all of the factors that are either hindering or helping local food production.

The Good & The Bad: This is why GoodReads is awesome. I wish I'd read all of Nisha's review before I'd received this book from the library, but alas it didn't happen...I probably wouldn't have bothered with the book if I'd read her review quite honestly. I definitely agree that the author lacks a voice or character that really engages you in her story. She tells you she's passionate about local food, but she doesn't really show it. Instead you just get very adept, journalistic snapshots of the food industry - but without bringing an emotional, human tie to things (like say, Michael Pollan in the life-changing The Omnivore's Dilemma) it's hard to be really motivated to follow up on her imploring calls to action. The whole is just too dry and you breeze over way too much of it to absorb a ton...plus it's really Ontario-centric, which fair enough, the sections that related to Elton's personal experience before and during the writing of the book felt the most fully realized, as opposed to her 'visits' to various farms / projects throughout the country.

I will say though, this book is really cool from the sense that it is in fact a Canadian alternative to all of those other, more fascinating / celebrated foodie books typically written by Americans. It was so cool to read about my province and shoutouts to my home province(s), and it was really inspiring to hear about all of these projects in my virtual back door. It was also eye-opening (when I could absorb some of the facts in the very dense paragraphs) in terms of the strain of farmer's markets, or the instability of the wholesale food market.

It made me want to go out to the farmer's market more often, and it did make me consider what are some small ways I can move towards being more locavorian. It's been harder since I moved away, because I'm way less familiar with sources of meat or the best vendors at the insanely busy farmer's market...but I will say that reading about the difference Canadian farmers and gardening enthusiasts have made was enough to get me thinking about it again. Anyone know where I can buy some Red Fife flour?

The Bottom Line: A well-intentioned book that fails to make a lasting impact...but will certainly get your mind running.

Anything Memorable?: It was funny to read about the Seaport farmer's market being a 'future' project as it's been open for as long as I've been here and only seems to be getting bigger...poor thing is straining to contain all of its vendors and shoppers as it is. True story? The market has been around since the 1700s! Very cool.

50-Book Challenge: Book #21 in 2011

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book! It began with the author looking at her young daughter's loot bag and finding a nicely wrapped cookie that was made in China. Sharon Elton travels across Canada to visit and interview farmers and chefs to discover how the the farming industry is changing so our country can provide our own food for consumption year round. She talks to chefs who are intent on using locally grown food in their restaurants. She talks about greenhouses, individuals who have started a urban farming business growing gardens in several peoples back yards in exchange for some of the produce, organic farms, the re-emergence of farmers markets, rooftop farms etc. I found the book absolutely fascinating with the innovations people are employing to achieve the goal of eating food grown locally.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. A little too much. I can feel myself turning into a bit of a nutcase about local food. It was already something I paid attention to, but now feel even more motivated to stop buying processed foods and source more local produce. I do like Sarah's rationale approach. It's not an "all or nothing" - it's about making mindful choices.

And her history of this movement across Canada is wonderful. She shared the stories of farmers, chefs, cheesemakers and other locavores from practically every province. As a relative newcomer to BC, I was delighted to learn that so much of the movement started here. Even if you're not ready to turn into a locavore, the book is absolutely worth a read for the unique Canadian perspective.

[Girl Guides of Canada · Rating 3 out of 5]

An excerpt from one of our Girl Guides book club reviewers:

"When I was offered Locavore to review for the GGC Book Club, I will admit I was a bit skeptical. I thought it would be a very granola, pie in the sky book full of impossible dreams of a world where we all eat organic food produced within a hundred miles. What I found instead was a book full of hope for a real, entirely possible future that is already taking shape on farms and in markets and kitchens across the country. Sarah Elton, a food journalist for CBC, went right to the source, the farmers to find out about the food revolution that is slowly taking place." -- Cheryl

http://girlguidescanblog.ca/2011/06/0...

[Kristin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel I'm being a bit unfair in my rating here - I think maybe this book is just similar in content to others I've read, and it didn't really give me anything new and that's why I wasn't really into it. Consisted of examples of local and sustainable food systems from across Canada, from stories of local farmers to food delivery systems to restaurants. All success stories - very optimistic book, which I guess is a nice change, but I was hoping for more educational content and local examples of what to avoid as well, rather than just how to grow a garden on my rooftop or which specific restaurants serve sustainable food. I think there's better books on the subject out there.

[A · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is excellent. I was surprised to find that the author is not a 'hardcore locavore.' The author does not recommend that we should cut ourselves off from the rest of the world and eat *only* things that are found locally. She takes a more practical stance and suggests that we simply appreciate what we can grow, and savour the occasional foreign-produced food as something special (I believe she uses avocados as an example). I found this book informative, and it definitely helped me realize that I take my easy access to food for granted.

[Petar · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is in your best interest to read this book if you are interested in local food and supporting Canadian farmers. In order to make an informed decision about what you eat, you need to know a little about how the industrial food machine works. The book flows nicely from one province to another, delving into such diverse areas as Quebec artisanal cheese, organic wheat strains in the Prairies and local food restaurants in BC. I found the chapter about the Ontario Food Terminal particularily interesting. Elton has provided us with a well written and informative book.

[Vibeke Vegetarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as a Christmas gift from a friend who saw it at her book store. I had heard of it, but wouldn't have thought of reading it because I thought it was a book about farming.. Well it is a book about farming and so much more! I find it very interesting and I love how the author did her research. I really feel like I know the characters in the book. I've learned so much about the history of agriculture in Canada and about the way we grow our food and the supply chains in our large country. I look forward to finishing it.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a person just getting her feet wet in the local food movement, I found Sarah Elton's "Locavore" such a fascinating and informative read. Elton methodically detailed all avenues of food production and distribution, from industrial farms and grocery store warehouses to rooftop gardens and farmers' markets. I especially enjoyed the personal stories she shared of farmers, chefs and local food advocates trying to help make a sustainable local foodshed. An excellent read for those looking for a concise, interesting book on the local food movement in Canada.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was mildly concerned that this might be a bit preachy but I quickly got over that and really enjoyed how Elton laid this out. The first half covered the farming side of things and the second switched over to cities. Each chapter narrowed in on a particular region as a case study, which was a great way of illustrating exactly how things are without only relying on facts & figures. There were so many interesting farmers and producers in here - and I definitely feel compelled to make some changes in my own food habits.

[Mary Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sarah Elton does an admirable job of scoping out the vast terrain of eating local, organic farming, and community-supported agriculture (CSA) from a Cdn. perspective. From the east coast to the west, she finds inspiring folks who are using technology and imagination to challenge the increasingly unsustainable global industrial food system. Sask. and NB are highlights, but her journalistic commonsense makes this a practical and enjoyable read.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

In addition to expanding my food system vocabulary, this book hit on an idea that really resonates with my thinking on food: terroir, the notion that the taste of food is inextricably linked to the place where it was grown/made, that region's climate, it's landscape, but most importantly, it's actual soil. I also loved the nod to First Nations work with regard to food sovereignty in the book's conclusion.

[Shawna · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was nice to read a Canadian focused book, since many of the places, farmers, restaurants and chefs are ones that I know of and have used. The book explores what it would take to change our food system so it is more local based on many levels, not just people buying food from farmer's markets but larger scale purchases too.

[Alexis · Rating 3 out of 5]

A rather technical book about Canada's food movement, both in farms and cities. This was very well researched. I think I would have enjoyed it more if I hadn't just read another great urban farming book. Still, I'd recommend this to anyone who wants to learn more about Canada's food systems.

(I am pursuing a certificate in food security, so I read A LOT about food systems.)

[Josie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an interesting read of one woman's journey to discover just how far our food not only travels, but also some of the processing that it goes through before it travels. She also explores various "locally grown" food from across Canada, and how it could be better for our bank accounts if we were to buy from our own country, or even grow it in our backyards.

[Laura Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this inspiring to read as I became more and more motivated to start eating local and supporting my farmers. I especially enjoyed the chapter on the history of cheese making in Quebec, dreaming about making my own cheese. And reading this from a Canadian perspective was great as I wasn't entirely sure it would be possible with our climate to employ locavorism.

[Ying · Rating 1 out of 5]

not very good writing. Some parts are off-topic and redundant. All the contents are not organized very well. As a book discussing an important social topic, I would like to see more data, from which readers can draw solid conclusion. lots of analysis is subjective and biased. The topic is intriguing and important.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good, following up on the success of Michael Pollen but with a specifically Canadian framework. Brief overview of food systems in Canada is a good start, but now I want the hardstuff. Anecdotal evidence is fun to read but where's the research into socio-political influences?

[Adrian Werner · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was nice to have a Canadian book on food. The case studies were interesting. There is a good breakdown of the arguments and counter arguments for local eating. Overall it is a good read, not a great read.

[Sasha Liang · Rating 5 out of 5]

Featured a farmer from my hometown. LOVED it.

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

For the foodie, the gardener,the environmentalist, and those who love mothernature- this book is for you.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book interesting. It's a sad state of affairs that we grow produce 30mon from here
but seldom get to eat it as most is exported.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book on how Canadian producers, chefs, and consumers are eating local, and how the movement can grow.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

An eye-opener. Repititious in spots. Makes you want your own garden.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

David Suzuki Book Club book.