APPLE TO SEED OR
SEED TO APPLE
by Cassandra Friesen
Soft meditative music begins
NARRATOR
Hi hello! Welcome to this audio experience. I want to take some time to thank you for listening. If you are here at The SEED, I want to remind you that it is a working warehouse with cars and people coming and going throughout the day. [BREATHE] Be mindful and please be careful of your body in terms of the space. If you are unable to meet with me, here, today at The SEED do not worry. [BREATHE] I want you to, if you can, go for a walk in a neighborhood or close your eyes and just visualize what is being said.
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NARRATOR
To begin our journey together today, take a moment to find your breath. [BREATHE WITH SOUND] Connect to your body, and your mind. [BREATHE] You can do this with your eyes closed if you feel comfortable doing so. Just breathe.
Pause
You are going to take a deep breath in for four seconds, hold for seven and exhale for eight and repeat. I’ll count for you so you can just focus on your breath. Ready? [BREATHE] Deep breathe in, one, two, three, four. Hold for seven, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven. Exhale for eight, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. Deep breathe in, one, two, three, four. Hold for seven, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven. Exhale for eight, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.
Soft meditative music (roughly 10-15 seconds)
NARRATOR
I would like to take a moment before our journey together begins to consider the land. The SEED warehouse resides on the traditional and treaty lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit and is in Dish with One Spoon Territory. [BREATHE] The Dish with One Spoon wampum agreement represents cohesion and cooperation, in this case towards the stewardship of the land. The Dish with One Spoon Covenant symbolizes a communal relationship where everyone shares the same dish, the same spoon, and ensures there is always enough for the next person to eat.
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NARRATOR
When you are ready, open your eyes and begin to walk towards the door that is marked with The SEED logo.
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Once you reach the door, stand in front of it. Make sure to leave enough room for people to open and exit or enter as they wish. Take a few seconds to move your body accordingly.
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NARRATOR
As I explain and describe what can be found beyond the door, try your best to visualize it.
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NARRATOR
Beyond these doors the magic happens. You might not expect just how large it is, all that goes on within, and how warm it feels despite its impersonal outward appearance. A shared space, a place where laughter, people, food and love for community can be found. It’s split into different sections. [BREATHE] An area for packing, freezers, fridges that fill the middle, a place to rest and hang out. So much more than the industrial looking building you can see.
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NARRATOR
Begin walking to the left of the door, continue walking until you are standing in front of the loading docks. Some of you may not know what a loading dock is, that’s okay. Before I took my first visit to The SEED I was unsure as well. [BREATHE] It is the huge space to the left of you, that has two garage-like doors and space for a semi-trailer to pull in and out of. Again, be mindful of any current trailers that are there, and if not, the potential of any showing up while you are here. If you want, take a closer look. Notice how massive it really is, but always be careful.
Soft meditative music (roughly 10-15 seconds)
NARRATOR
[SLOWLY] We spend a lot of our time being busy. Never really taking time to breathe and to think about stories. Stories are everywhere. I’m going to give you a moment to think about a story. [BREATHE] Think about a time when you imagined a narrative for something completely outside your everyday experiences. Have you ever imagined the stories of the people you pass by? Have you ever considered the story of something non-human?
Soft meditative music (roughly 10-15 seconds)
GALA
Hi, I’m Gala. I have a reddish, orangish color all over and I am sweet… but not too sweet. Perfectly mild – just sweet enough. A delicious tasting apple, if I do say so myself.
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GALA
I can’t wait to tell you my story! I’ve come a long way, and it’s quite the journey. Let’s keep walking, while I tell you where I came from. Feel free to explore the area around the warehouse at your own pace. You can also be still and just listen if you like. Chart your own path but just make sure to keep your head up, and your eyes alert!
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GALA
Farmer Hugh owns and operates his own farm. On this farm, he grows lots, and lots, and lots of apples. So many, in fact, that we get donated to cool places like The SEED! When we are ready, we get picked from the trees and placed in huge bins. If you saw them, I’m sure you’d say they are small…think about how big you are compared to me. It’s pretty massive!
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GALA
Once we are placed in bins, we are packed up in a big truck and the first leg of our journey begins! We travel all the way from the farm to here, where we are now here together. [BREATHE] I remember when I found myself inside for the first time. I was amazed at just how massive it is!
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GALA
The SEED warehouse has so many people, all bustling about. Especially on what’s called “packing days”, which are super busy. They’re also called “Tuesday” and “Friday” by some people around here, but I know that’s just cinnamons. I mean, sy-no-nyms. For several hours the warehouse fills with people who put food, like Gala apples, into bags. Sometimes, Galas like me make our way into the bags. I hope today is my day! I got sorted earlier in the week, and saw a bunch of others get picked last time. Maybe today is my turn. It is a “Friday” after all.
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GALA
My friend Green Bean told me that once you’re packed away nicely, you become part of a “grocery order”. This means that someone comes and takes the bag you are in to the home of whoever placed the order by car. They’re vehicles like the truck that brought me to the SEED, but a lot smaller. [BREATHE] Some pay full price, and because of them others can buy at a discount. But regardless of price, everyone gets the same delicious food, and everyone here is making sure people can get the food they need. [BREATHE] It feels pretty great to be a part of something so wonderful! Don’t people know how good apples are for them! Sorry, I’m just so excited for my big moment; I sure hope I get ordered.
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GALA
Are you still looking around the outside of the warehouse? What do you see? It was a lot for me to take in when I first arrived too. Depending on when you’re here, you might see or hear a volunteer driving up in their car to pick up an order. I wonder, when I’m picked, where I’ll end up going…
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Upbeat/playful music (roughly 10ish seconds)
GALA
Since coming here, I’ve been talking to the other produce. They learn an awful lot while waiting to get ordered. Guess that’s what I’m doing too. Learning things sure helps pass the time, as does sharing things. Like, did you know that The SEED warehouse is also a storage location for a company called Friendlier? The Potatoes told me, and they know EVERYTHING!
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GALA
Friendlier has created this food container that’s completely reusable, and a system that allows you to use that container whenever you’re getting food from local restaurants and stores that are working with Friendlier. [BREATHE] Better yet, you can sign up right from that little shiny and bright device I’ve seen the volunteers carrying around. What was it called? A phone? You probably know better than I do. I’m just an apple, and don’t know anything about making fancy gadgets. [BREATHE] But it does have these little things called apps, right? I remember that, because it sounds like apple! When you get food, you scan your container and it gives you some money back. Money you can use to buy some Gala apples!
Upbeat/playful music (continued)
GALA
And if you’re feeling especially friendly, your deposit from the container can be donated.
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Upbeat/playful music (continued)
GALA
I wonder how many orders have been filled already… [BREATHE] Don’t think about it Gala. Today is your day! [BREATHE] You wanna know something else that’s fun? Since starting in October of 2020, there have been 333,199 [three hundred and thirty three thousand one hundred and ninety-nine] containers reused. That’s 50,635kg [fifty thousand six hundred and thirty five kilograms] of greenhouse gas emissions saved, or 17,481kg [seventeen thousand four hundred and eighty-one kilograms] of plastic waste prevented. When I think about that in apples, given how small we are, that’s, like… ninety THOUSAND apples!
Beat Upbeat/playful music (continued)
GALA
There’s been volunteers all over the place today. I wonder if any of them have an order for a Gala apple? Just one order, that’s all I… Sorry, I’m getting antsy. [BREATHE] You wanna know something cool? We have a kitchen! Yeah, there’s a kitchen here too! While every effort is made to get food out to families and the community fast, sometimes it risks going bad before it gets ordered. That makes me so sad. [BREATHE] I thought about no one ever getting to experience my sweet crispness, and got really upset. But then this very chatty Carrot told me to not fear. The Upcycle Kitchen makes sure produce that’s starting to age still gets turned into something delicious before it can’t be consumed. Whether meals, baked goods, or MUFFINS! The thought of getting made into a muffin doesn’t sound all that bad, actually! When these meals get packed up, they’re put in Friendlier containers too! Classic teamwork.
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Upbeat/playful music (continued)
GALA
I wonder how many orders they got today. Remember when I told you that packing days were busy? Well, the Beets keep a watchful eye and counted that the SEED packs close to 100 orders on these days. Sometimes even more! That’s at least 200 orders per week. 200 chances for an apple like me to make someone smile!
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GALA
The SEED works off of a ‘Do it together food movement.’ They try to fill the gaps that the traditional food system doesn’t address.
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GALA
Great Granny Smith! I think there’s someone picking apples! Looks like this is where I leave you, friend! I’m so glad I got to meet you today, and tell you a little about this awesome place that’s helped me go from farm to table. My adventure goes on! [BREATHE] Next time you find yourself at the grocery store, or a fruit market, or wherever you like to buy apples, think about the journey we took to get there. A lot of hands go into a food system, and we all do our part.
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NARRATOR
As we continue on our journey together today, remember that The SEED is more than access to food and people handling food, it’s about building relationships and connections. The SEED receives donations and portions those out for their own grocery service, for food banks, upcycle kitchen and other community partners.
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NARRATOR
As you make your way out of the SEED warehouse area today, or wherever you happen to be listening from, I invite you to take a moment to reflect on the food that you buy. Have you ever taken time to look at where it came from, and stopped to consider the journey that brought it to your local store and the many people it met along the way? [BREATHE] As you go on with your day, I invite you to consider what influence you can have on your own local food system.
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Soft meditative music (roughly 5ish seconds)
