Being a business owner, adjunct college instructor, and a “from-the-beginning” board member of the Food Shed requires looking at both the big picture and the details of an endeavor.
Recently, as part of the curriculum for my current class, we watched The Plow That Broke the Plains, a film with a famous score by composer Virgil Thomson. The film documents the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, a time in America when prosperity was scarce and hardship was widespread.
It was a period of worldwide disruption—governments shifting, economies struggling, and powerful natural forces colliding in a perfect storm of chaos and change.
Does any of this sound familiar?
While the film highlights the ecological importance of soil, what struck me most was the historical narrative and its chilling parallel to our own time. Today we are also facing economic insecurity and the growing realities of climate change.
This year, especially in the farming sector, both large producers and small local operations have felt the strain. Disruptions—whether created or natural—have affected supply, demand, and prices throughout the food system.
So what can we do in troubling times like these?
One answer is to recognize that within chaos there is also opportunity.
As owner-members of the Food Shed Co-op, we have both the opportunity and the responsibility to strengthen our local food economy. By supporting locally produced food, we help maintain greater control over our food system and our food security.
Our current budget challenges are not only a difficulty—they are also an opportunity. They invite us to reinforce our commitment to making locally produced food available to our community now and into the future.
The Food Shed is far more than a grocery store.
It is a community effort to ensure access to good food, strengthen local agriculture, and build resilience in uncertain times.
In that sense, the Food Shed is a hedge against food insecurity.
And that is priceless.
Article by Board Member
Caron Wenzel