When I see something wonderful happening in one...
Meet Raina – Never Underestimate the Power of Planting a Seed
When I see something wonderful happening in one of our small communities, I often wonder how the project started. Who started it and why? I wonder what inspired them to take an idea and make it a reality? The Scotsburn Community Food Forest is one of these projects, so I contacted Raina to find out more.
Raina shared, “I'm a mother of two young daughters, artist, yoga instructor, and permaculture designer. My family and I live a homesteading life in Brookland, Pictou Co. I'm originally from Vancouver Island but moved to NS years ago to attend NSCAD in Halifax.” I asked, “Wow, you moved from one coast to the other. You are a long way from home.” She continued, “I left home at 18, and had a pretty traumatic experience when I was 19 so applying to NSCAD and making a big move was a pivotal part of my healing. And I knew I wanted to be close to the ocean so off to the other coast I went!” She smiled, “My parent’s friends warned them that I'd meet a nice maritime boy and never come back. And that does seem to have happened.” Not only did Raina meet a nice maritime boy, but she met a nice Pictou County boy.
“I moved to Pictou County to be with Ruben, and I could feel the country life sinking into my bones! It didn't take long for me to decide that rural living felt right for me,” she drew in a long deep breath, “I'm interested in deepening my connection to the earth, caring for this little piece of land we call home and experiencing the earth-loving us back in the form of abundant food and medicine. This all feels like an important experience to have and to model to our kids right now.”
Raina attended a meeting hosted by the Scotsburn Recreation Club where she learned there was a need to rally funds and support to keep their hall going. They also asked to hear from community members what they would like to see in their community. “I was inspired by the turnout – the hall was packed! I walked away with the seed of an idea for a community food forest germinating.” Raina put her idea forward to the president of Scotsburn Recreation and a few others who were all very supportive and enthusiastic, and in 2020 the Scotsburn Community Food Forest was born. “It was a challenging time to bring the community together (pandemic), but also an extremely important time to focus on food security and finding ways to work together on a super local level. We have a small core group of volunteers and are always looking for more folks willing to lend a hand and exchange knowledge.”
The Food Forest has bloomed into more than just a community garden. It has become a gathering place and a learning place for the whole community. Raina’s eyes lit up, “We've been collaborating with Scotsburn Elementary in creating a monarch habitat to support the endangered butterfly. Students started milkweed seedlings and nectar flowers and planted them in the food forest. Seeding kids' hands in the soil are so awesome and an important part of this intergenerational project.” She continued, “With the help of grade 3-5 classes at Scotsburn Elementary, we are creating new signage that invites the community into the experience and engage with our edible, medicinal ecosystem. The garden is open to all to experience and enjoy. I encourage you to stop by for a visit and join our email list if you’d like to get involved (email scotsburnfoodforest@gmail.com).” The garden has many plants including fruit trees, black currants, goose berries, Egyptian onions, and more.
I think this quote by Jenny Ludlow sums it up beautifully, “We may think we are nurturing the garden, but of course, it’s our garden that is really nurturing us.” ❤