In this Food Makers & Changers interview, we get to know Local Food Hero Christopher Wong!
About Christopher:
Christopher Wong is the cofounder of Young Urban Farmers and the nonprofit organization Cultivate Toronto. He makes vegetable gardening fun, enjoyable and rewarding by helping people setup edible gardens in their front yard, backyard, balcony or rooftop. He has a passion for healthy eating, local produce, and all things related to food. His favourite food to grow is cherry tomatoes – freshly picked and still warm from a hot summer day.
What is one change you’d like to see happen within the food system and why?
I’d love to see everyone growing their own food – even something as small as a pot of herbs on their windowsill works! The more we can connect with where our food comes from, how it is grown, and the delicious taste it provides, the more we can work towards some of the larger changes needed in our food system.
If you could only have three vegetables for the rest of your life, what would they be and why?
Tomatoes, kale, garlic. There is nothing quite like the taste of fresh tomatoes on a warm summer day. They are versatile in that you can eat them raw, make pizza/pasta sauce with them, juice them, dehydrate them, and use them in a variety of ways. Kale is great because of how easily it grows, how much it produces, and how well it grows even into the cold winter months. You can also use kale in salads, soups, stir-frys, and in a variety of other dishes. Finally, garlic just makes everything taste better and adds a wonderful depth of flavour to every dish.
What has been your most meaningful and rewarding work to date?
I love seeing the joy and excitement people get when planning and planting their garden, and also when they go to harvest and enjoy the food that they have personally grown.
If you could only have one non-local food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Chocolate
What would surprise most people about your history with food (and/or embarassing food stories)?
I had a summer job with Pepsi during my university days. One big takeaway from that experience was seeing the passion, enthusiasm, and dedication the employees and different customers had for the various food and beverage products. I also got to see what part of our Canadian food system looked to in getting some of their food and beverage products into restaurants, hotels, cafeterias, and more.
Who do you most admire in the food movement?
One of my food heroes is Will Allen. I had a chance to see him speak at a conference many years ago and his commitment to growing your own soil has inspired me to learn more about composting and getting people to focus on building and improving their own soil.
What is your favourite season and why?
Spring is my favourite season because of the excitement and anticipation it provides.
Do you have any advice for newcomers to the food movement, and how they can make a contribution?
Show up, be useful, and talk to everyone you can. When I was just getting started I remember going to different meetings, and volunteering to take on various roles according to my skills and interests.
Do you have any advice for veterans of the food movement?
Stay humble and stay grateful for the opportunities we have to make a difference in the lives of the people we serve.
More about Christopher Wong’s work:
Young Urban Farmers:
Young Urban Farmers is a Toronto-based business that designs, installs, plants, and maintains vegetable gardens in backyards, front yards, balconies, and rooftops across the GTA. Founded in 2009, they make gardening simple, fun, and rewarding using raised beds, self-watering containers, and in-ground edible landscaping. They show people that vegetable gardens can be both beautiful and delicious. http://youngurbanfarmers.com
Cultivate Toronto:
Cultivate Toronto is a non-profit organization with the goal of turning urban backyards into a sustainable source of fresh, organic food for its inhabitants. CultivateTO hopes to improve access to local organic food, foster leadership and education, and engage and connect the community in the rediscovery of local food. Our backyard Community Shared Agriculture (CSA) program is an innovative adaptation of the increasingly popular CSA model for alternative agriculture, and part of a greater movement towards access to safe, local food. http://cultivatetoronto.com