Food Security & Sovereignty
Food Security
Over the past 7 years, we have been addressing regional food insecurity while focusing on the sustainability of the food system into the future. At ERC, we have developed the term Beyond Organic Regenerative Agriculture (BORA) to distinguish a kind of farming that goes beyond sustainable. It is the groundbreaking food production design and practice standard we have developed and set for ERC that goes ‘beyond’ the requirements of our Certified Organic status. This standard is applied to all of our growing endeavours, including the ERC Regenerative Educational Community Food Gardens and ERC Community Food Box Program.
What is ERC’s BORA?
ERC’s BORA practices encompass a holistic approach to farming that encourages continuous innovation and improvement to agricultural practices for the benefit of our local community's environmental, social, and economic well-being. For example, we do not use chemical sprays approved for certified organic farming as such sprays can seep down into ground water and kill beneficial insects and pollinators. We are conscious of reducing our plastic footprint and do not use heavy black plastic row covers for weed control commonly used on certified organic farms. Essentially, we do our best wherever possible to work with nature to find solutions to food production challenges that benefit the environment and our community.
Each seed in the RECFG is planted with a purpose: to nourish vulnerable community members and pollinators, all while effectively diverting food waste and diminishing agriculture’s carbon footprint. The result? A sustainable, organic food system where all members of our diverse community – furry, finned, winged, web-footed and human alike – can share in an abundance of healthy local food.
Food Sovereignty
At ERC food sovereignty is about empowering people and communities – farmers and eaters – to make the important decisions about the food you eat and how it is grown. This includes the right of Indigenous Peoples to have access to land to grow healthy and culturally appropriate food produced through ecologically sound and sustainable methods. At ERC’s Regenerative Educational Community Food Gardens and Native Plant Educational Demonstration Gardens, in collaboration with Indigenous Elders, Knowledge Keepers, community members and Circle of Indigenous Nations, we are growing together to provide local-eco-type native plants for food, medicine and ceremony.
Regenerative Educational Community Food Gardens
Step into the magic of Elk Root Conservation’s Regenerative Educational Community Food Gardens (RECFG), where food production and planet protection come together in perfect harmony!
Over the past 7 years we have been addressing regional food insecurity and supporting food sovereignty, all while focusing on the sustainability of our food system into the future. At ERC, we have developed the term Beyond Organic Regenerative Agriculture (BORA) to distinguish a kind of farming that goes beyond sustainable. It is the groundbreaking food production design and practice standard we have developed and set for ERC that goes ‘beyond’ the requirements of our Certified Organic status.
In 2024, the RECFG at ERC produced over 5,000 kgs of vegetables, and we estimate and additional 10,000 kgs of ground berries, tree fruit and nuts will be produced seasonally at ERC as we ramp up production in the next 3-5 years.
Funders & Sponsors: Government of Canada, RDCK (Local Government), West Coast Seeds, Slocan Valley Co-op, SC Carts, Savoy Equipment Ltd., Rad Bikes, Everlast Greenhouses, Nelson Home Building: Home Hardware, West K Concrete, Mainjet Motorsports
ERC’s RECFG also includes garden plots dedicated to applied research, innovation and sharing food literacy through the ERC’s Inclusionary Education Program . School-aged children and youth to seniors, and other vulnerable community members are all welcomed to all about ERC’s BORA practices all while working together to feed at-risk community members. From seed to plate, it is a seamless cycle of abundance, feeding body, mind, and spirit!
Community Food Box Program
With the Regenerative Educational Community Food Gardens initial infrastructure installation completed in March 2024, ERC was able to launch the Community Food Box Program in July 2024. Its pilot year was a huge success! In collaboration with Circle of Indigenous Nations (COINS), ERC’s Community Food Box Program provided fresh, healthy produce grown on-farm to 20 multi-generational families in need of a helping hand cost-free during the spring, summer and fall of 2024. The abundance of produce was so great, we were also able to provide COINS with storage vegetables in winter 2025 grown on-farm, including cabbage, carrots, beets, potatoes and winter squash to distribute cost-free.
The success of the Community Food Box Program in 2024 was just the beginning step ERC’s mission to reduce food insecurity in the Kootenay region and beyond. In 2025, our goal is to expand the Community Food Box Program geographically in collaboration with COINS and other community groups to service the great need that has been identified throughout the Kootenay Region.
