Sharon is a bridge to bring people, plants and place together. Sharon helps communities define 'value' for the conservation of heritage varieties of food crops that are adapted to thrive in their local growing conditions. Two examples: Red Fife wheat and the zucca melon. Zucca was a huge crop in Osoyoos in 1939 and in 1988 Sharon created the first Zucca Reunion in Keremeos B.C. CBC listeners from the 1990s may recall her name. Sharon Rempel brought the zucca melon from near extiction and back to it's historic home in Canada's Okanagan valley at The Grist Mill at Keremeos heritage gardens. Zucca fed the North American candied peel industry from 1930-1950. Zucca story pdf As a pioneer in agri-tourism in the 1980s she put The Grist Mill at Keremeos provincial historic site on the tourist map. She left the site in 1992.
Sharon Rempel works to design a global food system that respects the value of landrace seed and traditional knowledge as key components for food security.
"The hand that holds the seed controls the food supply. May seed always be in the hands of gardeners and farmers who will save and share this wealth.”
- Sharon Rempel
Sharon Rempel: Environmental activist; first PhD student for University of Calgary Environmental Design (1997); scientist; writer; organic food pioneer since 1986; Seedy Saturday founder; heritage garden designer; participatory plant breeding and 'on farm' researcher runs The Garden Institute of BC Society
B.C. Author Sharon Rempel
Sharon is a bridge to bring people and plants togetherShe wants communities to develop their own 'values' for heritage varieties of crops so hopefully local food communities will conserve the varieties. She believes landraces are the farmers' best friends because landraces adapt quickly to climate change. Growing landraces and field trialing varieties is a very positive climate change solution for local communities. Yet Farmers Rights are not practiced in Canada; farmers are not free to sell unregistered varieties of crops.
"There is only one Great Mother, and she wears many disguises. She continues to make Her presence known to us in numerous forms: goddesses and hags, human women and snakes, and trees, birds, rivers, stones, mountains, and the earth herself. She has been honored and worshipped by women from the beginning in all of these forms and more. She is right here, if we only have the heart and willingness to open to Her presence." Sheila
FREE BOOKS by Sharon Rempel:
Get your kids excited about gardens and seeds - Download DIG- Diversity in Gardens. by Sharon Rempel
Want to do 'on farm research' - download the 'how to manual' by Sharon Rempel
Want to design a heritage garden? Download Heritage Gardens...Inspirations from our Past by Sharon Rempel