Korea: Table Revolution: A 21st century survival project that will change the world

Chapter 7: Find empty land! Grow a garden! The city changes – Interviews City Farmer

Written by Kang Yang-gu
In Korean
Living space
December 12, 2009

The dining table revolution that changes the world is a daily revolution that starts from ‘my dining table.’

‘Globalization’ is taking place in almost all areas of society. However, the authors of this book say that globalization does not only improve things. Especially in the food section. Even though Koreans, Chileans, and South Africans do not have to eat what Americans eat, neoliberalism and the globalization of food are providing uniform, unhealthy food. In this situation, this book emphasizes that a revolution in the dining table is more urgent than anything else.

The authors select ‘local food’ and ‘food sovereignty’ as the most important keywords in the dining table revolution. Local food travels a short distance, so it does not require any special treatment to prevent deterioration, and it is usually produced in season, making it healthier. If food safety is in mind, local food is the best choice. The author examines the reality that the number of people visiting farmers’ markets is increasing in countries around the world, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, Canada, and France, and presents specific aspects and directions of the dining table revolution.

In addition, it is emphasized that by protecting food sovereignty, sovereignty can be restored not only in food issues but also in health, region, culture, and environment. Dining table revolution. It is not a revolution in everyday life that starts from something grand, but can and should start from around us, from our dinner tables. Through this book, you will be able to draw a picture of that revolution.

Excerpt: Pages 168 – 170

Michael Levenston, CEO of City Farmer, a representative civic group in Vancouver, is one of the originators of this garden revolution. For nearly 30 years, since he helped found the organization in 1978, he has been researching, developing, and promoting ways to grow and eat food in the city. ‘Urban agriculture’, which he proposed 30 years ago, has now become an international term to the extent that it is used by the United Nations.

To date, hundreds of thousands of people have visited the vegetable garden behind the City Farmer office.

In large cities in Canada and the United States, an increasing number of citizens are cultivating their own backyards instead of lawns in their yards.

A variety of training programs at City Farmer are provided to help you become familiar with the land. It provides examples of plants that can be grown in a garden and shows how to make fertilizer using food waste.

Representative Levenston said, “Just 30 years ago, few in the city were interested in growing their own food in their gardens. But now, people are more excited about food grown at home and local food.” He added, “Vancouver’s urban agriculture still has a long way to go. In Berlin, Germany, 80,000 private gardens have been created, with 3.47 million people participating.”

Why are vegetable gardens so popular? CEO Levenston immediately said, “It’s fashionable today.” He said, “Farming is not new to people who grew up in rural areas. But for today’s urbanites who are far from farming, like American media personality Paris Hilton, for example, it can be very interesting.”

Representative Levenston, however, once again described this as a “positive trend.” He pointed out, “Many small farms are declining in Canada. In this reality where the number of people who are in contact with the land and produce food is decreasing, gardening can play an important role in reminding people of the importance of farming.” This is why he views gardening as an environmental and social movement rather than simply an activity to obtain food.

Link to book.

Source: https://cityfarmer.info/korea-table-revolution-a-21st-century-survival-project-that-will-change-the-world/