Community Action Against Marginalization: The Case of a Rural Social Enterprise in the Village of Saint-Camille, Quebec

Non-Conventional Agricultural Spaces and Climate Change: The Cases of Le Grenier boréal and Lufa Farms in Quebec, Canada

“…For instance, the production of Le Grenier boréal is not sufficient to meet demand, is seasonal and does not improve economic access to food by offering fruits and vegetables at a lower cost, although the cooperative strives to compete with supermarket prices. Still, the cases of La Clé des champs and Cultur'Innov, in the municipality of Saint-Camille, in the Eastern Townships (Quebec) [61], show that establishing gardens on land that is less suitable for growing vegetables is not an insurmountable obstacle. On the one hand, the improvement of a site (soil, redevelopment), the adoption of certain production techniques (greenhouses, varieties) and continuous learning on the part of the staff all increase productivity, at least in the first few years, as it can be observed at Le Grenier boréal.…”

“…On the one hand, the improvement of a site (soil, redevelopment), the adoption of certain production techniques (greenhouses, varieties) and continuous learning on the part of the staff all increase productivity, at least in the first few years, as it can be observed at Le Grenier boréal. On the other hand, a community's attachment and commitment to the enterprise can also help to compensate for certain weaknesses, for example, by facilitating the establishment of markets or food stands, as is the case for La Clé des champs in Saint-Camille [61,62], or by volunteering, in the case of Le Grenier boréal. Thus, if Le Grenier boréal maintains its present core strengths, it can be expected to overcome some of the challenges as it matures, at which point it may have more impact on other dimensions of food insecurity in Minganie.…”