On April 13^th, I attended Creation Story, a play written by talented local playwright Ciaran Myers. This workshop production focused on the nature of farming, the environment, and the role of biotechnology.

The play takes place in Southwestern Ontario, and revolves around characters who live in a farming community. At one point in the story, one of the main characters, a young man, must decide whether to use genetically engineered seeds on his farm – or to continue growing crops the way his family has traditionally done in the past.

During intermission there were many information booths set up by local organizations and companies, including Bailey’s Local Foods, which sells organic and local food products; and Seeds of Diversity, a volunteer organization that conserves the biodiversity and knowledge of local food crops and plants.

There was also an invaluable post-show discussion led by the panel of the representatives of these local organizations. I learned a lot about food systems, the importance of using seeds native to our soil, and policies regarding farming and agriculture.

By attending this performance, I learned that there is a large community in the Waterloo region passionate about local food systems and organic farming. Creation Story wonderfully combined theatrical creativity and useful information. I can’t wait to attend more workshops and events concerning sustainable agriculture in Waterloo.

Tiffany Budhyanto lives in Waterloo and writes for whattodowaterloo.com, a website about events happening in the Waterloo area. She enjoys learning about local food systems.