Hurricane Dorian certainly made its mark on Nova Scotia, in more ways than one. You’ve likely seen the #HalifaxCrane photos, but have you thought about the impact of the storm on our farmers, farmers’ families and our food system?

In such a busy society, we often eat without wondering about all the work that went into getting the food on our plate. Truth is, it depends largely on the weather. A concept that we have no control over. The amount of rain, wind, sun, snow, frost, and temperature fluctuations all affect how produce grows. Our farmers work incredibly hard behind the scenes to accommodate the curveballs Mother Nature throws.

Here’s what some have said about the Hurricane Dorian:

“Hurricane Dorian certainly left its mark . Here are A few pictures of some damage that was done . The full extent is still unknown for apples. What’s left on the trees is hard to say yet what shape they are in . One thing we do know is that we are all alive and well and working now to clean up that aftermath.” - Spurr Brother Farms, September 9, 2019

“We made it through Hurricane Dorian! The sweet corn was shook up a bit but is still able to be picked. It doesn't look real pretty on the outside anymore but the inside is still yummy. We have lost a percentage of our apples as have other farmers in NS. Our corn maze is fine and is open everyday 9 AM until 6 PM. We are just thankful that there wasn't more damage and we want to thank our many customers who were checking in on us. We appreciate each and every one of you!” - Indian Garden Farms, September 11, 2019

We applaud our farm partners for being so positive, and we recognize how hard they are working to overcome the damage. The extent of damage from Dorian differs depending on where they were located in the province, but the truth is, crops, and therefore money, has been lost. The livelihood of our farmers is incredibly important.

In times of need, there is nothing more powerful than the coming together of community. Nourish Your Roots provides a beautiful opportunity. When you purchase a box not only are you supporting school wide healthy eating programs, ultimately helping raise healthier generations, but you are supporting local farmers and their families. And they need that now more than ever.

Why not purchase an extra box today? When you do, you are helping out farm families like this one:

For a list of schools you can purchase from visit: https://www.nourishns.ca/nyr-school-list

Now More Than Ever, It’s Time to #Buylocal