Who Will Help Me Share The Fruit?

Growing up in Brandon, the only food that I thought we could grow in the area was wheat. The Wheat City being surrounded by golden fields, it made sense to me that this was our crop. I wasn't entirely sure how the wheat was transformed into anything I ate, but I figured it somehow followed along the lines of "The Little Red Hen".  Her tale of steadfastly following through with her plans, despite facing hardships, was found admirable and brave by my young self.  It was the side characters who seemed to offend my already growing sensibilities. Why would you not help a hen plant a grain of wheat? Could it be so difficult? 

It surprises me to find, in coming back to that story, that it was an early tale of local food sustainability and community cooperation. Imagine just how many loaves of delicious bread the little hen and her friends could have made had they cooperated? Surely the duck, with a pre-disposed love for bread, would have seen the error in his ways? Although I could never argue with the Hen's final decision to share her bread with only her chicks, it still left a little ache in my chest for those who went without. If I was the Hen, what would I have done? 

Perhaps my early lessons in morality, especially where sharing is concerned, have brought me to the place I'm in now. A position where I can make that decision to share the bread (or fruit!) with those around me. So, do I go it alone, like the Little Red Hen, or do I look to my community, hoping for their support? I choose to believe that there are people in this city who are looking to do the same thing. Eager to help those who need it most. It is my hope, that along with friends (perhaps human and not duck), that we are able to make that difference. Our mission cannot be fulfilled by one person, so once again I ask, who will help me share the fruit? 

Please visit www.fruitshare.ca to register as either a Fruit Owner or Volunteer and help this little Hen sow the seeds of sharing.