Jen Cody

Jen Cody

Growing food, increasing healthy food access for low income people, building community with people of all abilities and cultures are key values in her work. Food is Medicine, which not only includes the nutrition that food can provide, but also the relationships we have with each other, the plants, the animals, the soil, the water. How we are in relationship with food and all that goes into growing and harvest and honouring food is Jen’s lifework.

Jen comes to farming and seed saving through her background in community development and nutrition. Jen is an active coordinator/worker and founder of Growing Opportunities Community Farm. In its 13th year, the farm is working with people of all levels of ability, and multiple community partners. Growing Opportunities builds community farms and is now working on 5 sites in Nanaimo. Increasing opportunities for people to access and build food skills and food relationships are important to Jen. Seed saving is farm fun for Jen and she continues to be involved with seed and variety trails with GO. Jen is also a founding member of BC EcoSeeds Coop, Farmship Coop, the BC Food Systems Network and continues to support creating a community food system through her work at the farm, beekeeping, and in the community teaching and organizing community projects, which now include First Nations communities, through her work with Nuu Chah Nulth Tribal Council.