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WEDNESDAY, July 9, 2014
NEWS BRIEFS
Sana’aih Market to benefit from fresh produce
VOL. 37 NO. 19 $1.30 inc. GST
Nak’azdli greenhouse expanding
Rebecca Watson Caledonia Courier
The Sana’aih Market is owned and operated by the Nak’azdli band. Although it is impossible for the market to replace all it’s fresh produce, this year will be the first time the grocery store offers any type of locally grown vegetable. Since opening five years ago, the market has employed over 15 full-time and part-time band members and gives a tax exempt to all status natives. Many employees and customers feel the market gives them a real sense of community including store clerk Diana Morris, who lives on the Nak’azdli reserve and has worked at the Sana’aih Market for two years. “This is a place where families meet. I have worked many jobs as a waitress, in a daycare, in an office, and I was never able to interact with people like I do here. I can talk with people about anything. New cooking recipes, or just about how they are doing in general. I love it here,” said Ms. Morris. The market not only provides people with the opportunity for work and means of finical gain for the band, it helps ensure fair prices for all residents, said store manager Jay Gregg. “Overwaitea had a monopoly for a few years. Competition is always good,” said Mr. Gregg.
GREENHOUSE GROWING: Allison Sam is seen working in the Nak’azdli band greenhouse. Rebecca Watson Caledonia Courier
For the first time in decades an effort is being made to produce fresh produce on Nak’azdli land. The Nak’azdli greenhouse, now in it’s second year, is moving forward as planned, said greenhouse manager Andrew Stairs. The project even has a small demonstration garden in front of the Nak’azdli band office to show people the growing vegetables. “We are trying to re-establish the notion that fruits and vegetables can be grown on the Nak’azdli reserve just like in the old days,” said Mr. Stairs. The operation consists of a long greenhouse,
ten raised flatbeds and three rows of ground-level flat beds. The greenhouse alone is filled with over 600 tomato plants that will be ready in 5-6 weeks. The six commercial types being grown include red and yellow cherry, two types of red beef steak, pink beef steak, and yellow beef steak. Ten plants of heritage variety are also being grown to show people what they look like. The outdoor raised and flat vegetable beds will also soon harvest potatoes, on-
ions, cucumbers, leeks and strawberries. Some of the produce will go to the Nak’azdli Health Centre while most will be sold at the local Sana’aih Market and farmers market.
Nak’azdli greenhouse With so many tomato plants, the field tomatoes will be fully replaced at the grocer with many left over to sell at the market. This means a way of financial earnings and also
provides band members with more opportunity for jobs off the reserve, said Mr. Stairs. “Commercial gain and social gain. It’s employing people and producing food,” said Mr. Stairs. Currently the greenhouse staff consists of only a few employees. Larissa George, 19, and Steven Basil, 23, of the Nak’azdli reserve, are the two newest employees who were given the opportunity through help of the Nak’azdli band’s resource co-ordinator Alexandra Lvqqi. The band was able to provide them with proper work ware including gloves and boots to
Photo by : Rebecca Watson ensure they are able to work in a safe environment. “We don’t have a lot of agriculture but since the greenhouse started last year its been a positive experience,” said Ms. Lvqqi. If everything continues as planned, greenhouse employees will soon be given the task of cleaning up the land around the greenhouse. The plan is to remove the waste left by a nearby mill to make room for a huge vegetable patch. Any unused wood pieces still in good condition will be used to create an indoor heating system to help the greenhouse sustain the winter. “These are the first steps. Next year we will see at least 10 more raised beds, and a much wider variety of crops,” said Mr. Stairs.