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No one knows food more than the faculty, staff, students and alumni of the Faculty of Agriculture and the 鲍鱼tv Agricultural campus.聽 So, it only seemed natural, in the middle of a global pandemic, to produce a 鈥榩andemic鈥� cookbook.

A small but mighty internal team of four spanning Truro, Halifax and Cape Breton worked together on the concept, design, and photography, while cooking nearly every recipe in two local kitchens.

鈥淪hortages of flour and yeast and other basic staples in the grocery stores proved that people were spending more time in the kitchen and preparing their own food from scratch,鈥� said Alisha Johnson, Alumni Relations.

A greater appreciation for local produce and #ThankAFarmer campaigns were also in abundance.

The Truro Farmers鈥� Market quickly switched to online sales and many vendors experienced increased sales according to manager and alumnus Margaret Congdon.

鈥淪ome vendors had noticeable increases in their number of sales, early on, which was interesting, considering the time of year (early spring),鈥� she said.

Better Together

As events quickly turned virtual, including the annual Barley Party in April, Jason Grant, Cultiv8 Manager, performed a rendition of Better Together which quickly became a theme for things to come including Better Together Trivia and our Better Together Cookbook to name a few.

鈥淎s we transitioned to working from home, we wanted to utilize this unique opportunity to connect people with their food and where it comes from while also producing a one-of-a-kind keepsake of this brief time in our history,鈥� said Stephanie Rogers, communications manager. 鈥淭hus, the Better Together cookbook was born!鈥�

Dispersed throughout the cookbook are short research facts and information on the work being undertaken by the Faculty of Agriculture in the areas of local and global sustainability, food security, and health & well-being as targeted by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Community members were asked to submit family favourite recipes using ingredients that were easily accessible across a broad range of categories including appetizers, entrees and desserts.

鈥淭he Better Together Cookbook is a great way to teach your children about the fun science of cooking and baking,鈥� explained Community Education Officer Lauren Peters who is also featured in the cookbook.

鈥淐ommunity Education is about learning where your food comes from and how important each person is along the supply chain 鈥� from the farmer who planted the seed to the grocery store clerk who placed it on the shelf.聽 聽Thanks to the amazing community at the Faculty of Agriculture, we get to connect with them through this recipe book.鈥�

鈥淔ood connects us all,鈥� added Dean David Gray. 鈥淭he Faculty of Agriculture is proud to dedicate its efforts to feeding the world. There isn鈥檛 another sector that impacts our lives, both individually and collectively, more than agriculture.聽 It鈥檚 our future.聽 It鈥檚 that simple.鈥澛�

To order your copy of the Better Together Cookbook email agalumni@dal.ca