Growing Local, Growing Healthy:
Our Journey in Agriculture
By Preston Sam & Collin Snowboy
Our presentation shares the story of growing food in the North. Rooted in community-identified priorities, it explores how agriculture can strengthen health, revive knowledge-sharing, and support food sovereignty in Chisasibi.
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Through lived experience, we walk audiences through the challenges of northern food production and the opportunities created by innovation, collaboration, and Eeyou Knowledge. From building a geodesic dome greenhouse to engaging youth and Elders, this presentation highlights how local food systems can grow even in the harshest climates.
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More than a project update, this presentation is a reflection on resilience, learning, and the future of food in northern communities.
01
Introduction
Our presentations begin with a simple greeting: Watchiya. We introduce ourselves as Preston Sam and Collin Snowboy from Chisasibi, a Cree Nation community in Northern Quebec, within Eeyou Istchee.
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We share what it’s like to grow food in a place like ours—located in growing zone 1B, where local food production has always been difficult. Most of our groceries are shipped in from the South, arriving costly and often less fresh. Over time, this has affected our health and our connection to food and land.
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That reality is what led our community to prioritize food and agriculture research. Through CERRI, we explore how growing food at home can strengthen health, revive knowledge-sharing, and support food sovereignty. Our presentations are a way of sharing that story—one rooted in resilience, learning, and reconnecting with our land.
02
Background
Our work in agriculture grew from needs our community clearly identified: better access to fresh, affordable food and real solutions to northern food insecurity. In 2023, we took an important step by building a geodesic dome greenhouse in Chisasibi.
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What started as a structure quickly became something more. The dome became a place to experiment, learn, and gather—a space where community members of all ages could reconnect with growing food. Inside, youth were introduced to planting and harvesting, while Elders shared Eeyou Knowledge about land, seasons, and food.
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The greenhouse has become a space of education and healing, showing that food can be grown in the North and that agriculture can strengthen health, culture, and community resilience.
03
Challenges & Opportunities
Working in the North comes with real challenges. Our growing season is one of the shortest in Canada, infrastructure and heating costs are high, and large-scale farming is still new in our region. We are learning as we go, building local skills and capacity step by step.
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At the same time, these challenges create opportunities. The greenhouse has become a place to experiment, adapt, and teach—where modern growing methods are blended with Eeyou Knowledge of the land. What we grow isn’t just about yield, but about meaning and relevance to our community.
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One of the most powerful outcomes has been bringing generations together. Elders have shared resources and knowledge, like providing wood chips for healthier soil, while youth and students are learning to plant, care for, and harvest food—often for the first time. Together, these shared experiences are helping build resilience and move our community closer to food sovereignty.
04
Success Stories & Impacts
Since the geodesic dome opened, we’ve seen what’s possible. Inside the greenhouse, we’ve grown a wide variety of crops—kale, lettuce, basil, peas, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, and more. Each harvest has been a reminder that food can be grown here, even in a northern climate.
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What matters most is where that food has gone. Our harvests have been shared through nutrition workshops, community tasting events, and open harvest days where families could pick their own produce. For many, it was their first time tasting food grown locally in Chisasibi.
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Along the way, youth and students have been part of every step—from planting seeds to harvesting greens—gaining hands-on skills and building a connection to food production. We also shared our journey through a short film, Growing Together, which captures both the challenges and the hope behind building food sovereignty in the North.
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Future Directions
This work is only beginning. Looking ahead, we plan to expand production inside the dome and continue testing crops that can thrive in cold northern climates. We are also preparing to build a container farm, which will allow us to grow food year-round and take an important step toward improving food access in the North.
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At the same time, our focus remains on people. We want to train more local growers—especially youth—so that agriculture becomes a skill rooted within our community. By strengthening partnerships with schools, health centers, and Elders, we hope to make food production a regular part of life in Chisasibi. For us, agriculture is about building a healthier, more resilient future for our people.
06
Reflection
Through this work, we’ve learned that agriculture is about much more than food. It’s about health, identity, and resilience—about creating space for learning, healing, and reclaiming control over our food systems, even in the far North.
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Each harvest, each seed planted, and each story shared by an Elder moves us forward. These moments bring generations together and reconnect land, culture, and community in meaningful ways.
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While challenges remain, we believe every seed we plant grows more than food. It grows strength, pride, and hope for a healthier future in Chisasibi. Our vision is simple but powerful: Healthy Land. Healthy Food. Healthy People.
