Marigolds & Juniper
Jes Hartt, food enthusiast & mom, dives into three major, positive shifts in the food industry as a result of COVID-19.
Pitch video
Synopsis
Claiming that 2020 was a difficult year is putting what it truly was nicely. There were certainly some beautiful things that came from it though. Jes showcases a dirty - yet beautifully rich - new business model to the interior of BC - local household composting; she chats with one of the hardest hit yet most important segments of the food industry in times like these - the local farmers and Market; and finally she chats with a community leader who has partnered with a celebrated program that gets kids gardening at a local school.
Production
Interview Roster
Jes was raised on Vancouver Island and moved her young family to Kamloops in 2017. Despite her leave from the industry in 2019, she can’t stop thinking about food. Her experience as a cook has allowed her to focus on from-scratch cooking and confidence in the home kitchen. Food security and supporting as local as possible are two great passions of hers. She has worked with a local school to teach kids how to cook healthy meals and assisted with unique cooking classes demonstrating tips, tricks and history. She can often be found sourcing something new to eat or cook with her family.
Mr. Denby is a teacher at a local elementary school. He has been working with B.C's Farm to School and teaching kids how to build gardens, grow and harvest the produce. In addition, he also started a small business with the kids in his class where they grow and sell micro sprouts to local restaurants and at the Kamloops Regional Farmers' Market.
Greg is the Kamloops Regional Farmers' Market Manager. We will speak to him and some of the KRFM team about their response to COVID-19 and creating an online shopping and curbside pick-up solution to help stem the hundreds of market goers. Market is the watering hole for the Kamloops community. It was created in 1978 as a way to keep local produce in Kamloops, instead of trucking it away. They donate to local organizations such as the Kamloops Food Bank and Salvation Army to ensure that those relying on such services can access local produce.
Claire and Katie started Friendly Composting in 2020 as a solution to address food waste at home. They drop off their buckets and take away the filled ones weekly and have partnered with small businesses so they can now deliver locally sourced products, such as fresh baked bread, when doing so! These ladies have created a wonderful initiative that is “contributing to a better tomorrow for our Kamloops community.”
When Councillor Dudy isn’t working at City Hall, he is tending to his organic farm, Thistle Farms. He is an influencer on some of the community programs focussed on local food, such as Farm2Chefs, and is skilled in advocating for food security. He sells his produce at the Kamloops Regional Farmers’ Market, often accompanied by his family, twice a week and will be able to provide insight to how COVID-19 contributed and affected the farmers in our community.