In Wemotaci, an Atikamekw community located north of La Tuque, the Ruche d’art Kokomino works to improve food security for its community members. Over the years, the organization has established several vegetable gardens. About twenty households benefit from family vegetable gardens, which are container gardens located near their homes and maintained jointly with a horticultural worker employed by the Ruche d’art Kokomino.
An educational vegetable garden, a public vegetable garden, and two food forests have also been established in the community. Vegetables harvested from these gardens are offered free of charge to residents. Ointments are also made from the medicinal plants harvested from the various gardens.
All of its activities are funded by various donors as well as through the sale of various products. In the spring, surplus seedlings are sold to fund the organization. Ointments made from medicinal plants are sold at farmers markets, as are screen-printed T-shirts at coffee gatherings. Farmers markets also provide opportunities to distribute vegetables to the community.
Watch this short video to learn more about the project.
