Staff Spotlight: Grow Eat Learn Interns
We are excited to be working with Rebecca King and Aaron Banks for their Bachelor of Community Design and Sustainability internship this winter. Rebecca and Aaron are applying their skills and knowledge to make an activation plan for the Grow Eat Learn Trailer, launching in spring 2025. Learn more about the interns and their thoughts on food and growing below.
Rebecca King
What drew you to get involved with Nourish Nova Scotia?
I was drawn to Nourish Nova Scotia for a variety of reasons, but I think the biggest one was their youth-centered approach and climate change focus. Climate change is an important part of the food system conversation. It adds a lot of nuances around what a sustainable food system looks like and the importance of local food, government policies, and even seasonal eating habits. I also believe that food systems are so important for young people to learn about, I’ve known firsthand the kind of value this knowledge can bring since I was young.
What is a food story you cherish?
When I think of my relationship to food I am always reminded of my family. There are so many food stories that I cherish, whether that be eating a salad with my dad made with plants from the garden and topped with edible flowers or cooking a meal from my grandparents' heritage as a way to remember them and celebrate their lives. It is so hard to talk about just one food story. I have so many wonderful memories about food. Like my dad preparing a meal for my brother and I that we all enjoyed so much that he would say “I’ll make this again!” with a big smile on his face. Or when I am feeling under the weather and my mom or dad would prepare a cup of hot broth for me. When I was a teenager, my mom would deliver snacks or breakfast to me when she realized I hadn’t eaten anything that day. But I also love to prepare food for others, making dinner or dessert for my loved ones. For me, my most cherished food stories are the times when my loved ones used food to show me that they cared, or when I used food to show my care for them.
How do you see young people helping to influence food systems today?
Young people are an integral component of food systems, I see young people influencing food systems by being advocates for change towards more sustainable food systems. I believe that young people have a lot of drive to improve the world around them as they learn about the world and its various injustices and inequities. I believe that if young people are given the right tools and knowledge, they can influence food systems by bringing new ideas to their communities, and by taking local actions to either grow food at home or at school. Most importantly, young people who are well-versed in the world of food will carry this knowledge forward into their careers and be advocates for sustainable food systems in their workplaces and communities for years to come.
If you could wave a magic wand and make your dream come true, what would you wish would be for the food landscape in Nova Scotia?
To me the ideal food landscape in Nova Scotia is one where urban farming is thriving. I like to envision a future where every workplace has some capacity for growing food. I imagine an urban environment where the majority of buildings have rooftop gardens, and indoor green walls where food is grown instead of decorative plants. I see municipal policies that support these rooftop gardens as well as community gardens and local farmers markets. My dream is for communities that share the benefits of growing food with each other. Where fruit grown on fruit trees is always harvested, whether by the owner or by a neighbour, and where neighbours grow berry bushes along sidewalks and allow passersby to enjoy the fruits as they ripen. My dream for the food landscape is really one where food brings people in the community closer together, just as it has done in my own family.
Is there anything you love to grow or cook?
My favourite things to grow are native wildflowers, specifically trilliums as I grew up in Southern Ontario. But recently I’ve begun to take greater amounts of joy from growing edible plants. Although I have a lot of experience growing food in the garden with my dad, my own garden journey is just beginning. Personally, I have taken great joy in growing cayenne peppers this past summer. It was a delight to see so many fruits on one plant, harvesting ripe peppers throughout the growing season, seeing new flowers blossom, and enjoying all of the pollinators that would visit. I loved growing hot peppers because they can easily be grown in a planter box and the harvest will last me the entire year and even give me an abundance of peppers that I can share with family and friends. Peppers are easily preserved by drying them thoroughly and can even be made into chili oil, which is my preferred way to bring a little spice to my recipes.
Aaron Banks
What drew you to get involved with Nourish Nova Scotia?
I think community design and sustainability are fundamentally about helping people achieve their dreams for their communities through design and collaboration. I believe things like food can bring people together and foster positive change. Nourish Nova Scotia provided opportunities for me to put these values into my work while promoting sustainable, equitable systems that ensure access to local and healthy options for as many as possible. The Grow Eat Learn Trailer was instantly inspiring, and I was ecstatic to be a part of it and influence it in any way possible. I was lucky to get involved, and I am excited to contribute to the Grow Eat Learn Trailer and hopefully create a lasting impact.
What is a food story you cherish?
It isn't exactly garden-related, but in 2019, my partner and I put together a bake sale for charity. We spent a whole day baking (which was fairly new for me) and then giving what we made to our local community. It was great to see all our hard work pay off and to see how everybody came together to help out and spread the word. I greatly value the experience.
How do you see young people helping to influence food systems today?
I believe young people have immense energy, creativity, passion, and a deep awareness of what's happening around them. In the face of issues like food justice and sustainability, youth are the next generation, and thus, they are our next leaders. Youth have bold ideas worth listening to, and I feel that when given advocacy and leadership opportunities, youth are given the chance to be major players in influencing the kinds of food systems they want to be a part of.
If you could wave a magic wand and make your dream come true, what would you wish would be for the food landscape in Nova Scotia?
If possible, a fully integrated food and community garden system across the province in which local food is accessible and available to everyone regardless of background or income would be a truly amazing thing for the province to achieve. I think a lot of people accept that they don't have full control over their food choices, and this would allow regular people autonomy over what they eat and allow communities to gain a deeper sense of belonging, develop closer ties with their community, see food in a new and empowering way, and share their culture, identity, and knowledge regarding food.
Is there anything you love to grow or cook?
Over the last few years, my dad and I have been really into growing tomatoes. We don't have much backyard space, but we've created a compact system for growing small amounts of fruits and vegetables. We use tomatoes to make spaghetti sauce, chili, salads, and more. We also often give them to family and friends, and it feels great.
Learn more about the Grow Eat Learn Program here.
Published: Feb 13, 2025