These photos, taken by my dad earlier this month and sent to me, are of the Hilo Farmers Market
Hilo is a city on the eastern coast of the volcanic island of Hawai’i, a.k.a. The Big Island, where I lived for several years of my life and also achieved my first degree at University of Hawaii at Hilo.
Going to this market every weekend, often with my parents, holds so many memories for me. It also set a gold standard for me of affordable and convenient access to local, organic fruits and vegetables.
If you know me, you know I LOVE fresh local veggies and cooking them up with diverse grains and legumes.
I miss the extraordinary richness of locally grown veggies and fruits such as I experienced in Hilo (and some other places). Obviously, what can be cultivated depends so much on geography & local climate but I do observe that the issue of supporting & promoting vibrant local food systems is neglected in the mainstream discourse on urban resilience.
Reading what Associate Professor Susan Parham wrote in her book ‘Food & Urbanism: The Convivial City and a Sustainable Future’ resonated so much:
’… food demands that produce a permanent dietary summer for some in the global north distort the balance between cash cropping and growing for indigenous needs in poorer supplier countries, thus negatively affecting the latter’s food space, resilience, health and sustainability. The burden of unsustainable food production practices falls most heavily on the poorest people and the poorest countries.’
Do you have access to locally grown, affordable vegetables and fruits in your community?