In this Food Makers & Changers interview, we get to know Local Food Hero Anne Freeman!

About Anne:

For over a decade, Anne Freeman has been the co-ordinator of the Dufferin Grove Organic Farmers’ Market, working in collaboration with farmers, city-based food producers, and the park’s recreation staff to develop and support this well-loved weekly gathering. This role led to her participation in FoodShare’s Market Network Project, and opportunities to learn from markets throughout Canada and the US, to mentor other community-based market organizers and to represent local markets at events and conferences as well as in discussions with the City of Toronto. Anne is currently in her 7th year as Project Co-ordinator for the Greenbelt Farmers’ Market Network, assisting and promoting farmers’ markets throughout the region.

Anne is from a rural background, and in her “past life”, she was a professional artist who developed a body of work which focused on the relationship between humans and land, and our rapidly changing contemporary landscape.  She brought this interest to her work as organizer of a school-wide native species planting project at her daughters’ downtown Toronto school, and it continues in her efforts to support and promote sustainable agriculture.

What has been your most meaningful and rewarding work to date?

Because I’ve been working in this field for a long time, I’ve watched a whole crop of young people decide to become farmers. It’s really challenging to make a go of it, but now many of them are growing successful businesses. It’s their determination and energy that are making this happen, but I like to think that my work with farmers’ markets and market network programs has been helpful.

Where do you stand on local vs organic vs simply eating whole foods?  What are your personal priorities when it comes to your own diet?

I’m not a perfect eater, but local and organic is my priority. Of course, this includes the freshest and tastiest food around, but choosing organic food from close to home is an opportunity to invest in cleaner watersheds, local biodiversity, local knowledge, and local farming communities, too. That feels like healthy eating! Because of my work, I usually get to buy directly from producers. This means there are stories to go with the food on my family’s plates, a wonderful bonus.

What is your favourite season and why?

Spring is absolutely my favourite season! Winter just about defeats me every year, and I can’t wait for the world to turn green again. Getting out into the garden feels like a way to help that along. I have some perennial plants that are particular favourites, and when I see the first signs of them emerging each year it’s like getting birthday presents.

At the market, it’s also really exciting to have new foods to announce. It gets pretty challenging finding something interesting to say about storage crops by the end of the lean season!

Do you have any advice for newcomers to the food movement, and how they can make a contribution?

Beware of sounding evangelical; it sends people running for the exits!

Do you have any advice for veterans of the food movement?

There’s a pretty wonderful ‘sisterhood’ of long-time market organizers in Toronto (with a few brothers in the mix!), and the support we offer one another is invaluable, because people do get tired. Sometimes it feels like we’re fighting the same small battles a hundred times over. Taking time to appreciate what we’ve built here, finding humour in the crazy and frustrating things that happen, cultivating the talents of future leaders, and remembering that there is plenty of potential still to be developed in this picture are things we need to keep in mind.

What do you daily or weekly to try and be a part of the solution when it comes to creating a sustainable food system?

These days, I’m trying to reduce the amount of food I waste, and it can be embarassingly difficult! It’s easy to buy too much, or to lose track of what’s in the fridge. I’ve decided that being a good cook has to mean using what you’ve got on hand in inventive ways. We try to approach the topic with some humour in our house; whoever uses up the most containers of leftovers in one meal wins!

What issue/passion inspires you to keep doing the work you do day after day?

The farmers I know and the people who love supporting them. It’s pretty simple.

Favourite junkfood?

Interesting flavours of potato chips. Pretty major weakness.

This post is part of the HH Food Makers and Changers series, introducing you to friends in the food community that are making a big difference.