By Joanne Jordan, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Guysborough Journal
GUYSBOROUGH: An innovative food program introduced in the Municipality of the District of Guysborough late last year is attracting attention from neighbouring communities, including members of the Municipality of the District of St. Mary’s council.
On May 12, Rhonda Procure, community manager for Square Roots Guysborough, gave a presentation to the Guysborough County Community Health Board (GCCHB) about its success. Among those attending was Councillor Emma Tibbo of St. Mary’s, who later shared what she learned with her fellow councillors.
“The goal was to explain how the program works, what we are doing in our community and what our future goals were,” said Procure. She added that the board made a donation to support the program’s work locally.
In an email to The Journal, St. Mary’s Warden James Fuller indicated that the program sounded promising. “Emma [Tibbo] briefly explained [it]. We will get more details soon. We will need more information.”
Square Roots Guysborough launched in December 2024, holding its first market on Dec. 7.
“The first market went really well,” Procure told The Journal in January. “The sale of food was 400 lbs., exceeding expectations.”
Since then, demand has surged.
“It didn’t take long for word to spread through the community, and we went from bringing in 400 to 2,000 pounds of produce per sale,” she said last week. “The program is really a win-win. Nova Scotians are able to buy healthy food at lower costs and the farmers are getting paid for otherwise unsellable produce.”
Operating with a mission to address food insecurity and reduce food waste, the program – founded by Saint Mary’s University students in 2016 and which recently reached the milestone of distributing more than one million pounds of food across Nova Scotia – buys “seconds” from local farms and suppliers. It resells the food at up to 50 per cent less than grocery store prices.
Said Procure: “The goal is to keep costs low, selling as many items as we can at one dollar per pound [and] to get food into the hands of those who need it the most…. I believe everyone deserves access to affordable healthy food…. With three children in our household, I understand all too well how expensive healthy food can be…. I figured if it worked for us then it would work for a lot of others as well.”
Since launching, Square Roots Guysborough has sold or donated just more than 25,000 pounds of produce. Leftovers after each sale are donated to the local food bank. “Not only do we sell produce, but we also help many people and families who need it,” she said. “If someone needs help with food, we provide what we can.”
The local group has participated in a range of community events and partnerships, including Christmas and Easter giveaways, the Guysborough Women’s Wellness Exchange, and collaborations with the Antigonish Women’s Resource Centre, Cast Away Café, Crazy Daisy, Saltscape Cupcakes, Muddy Puddle Goat Farm, Treasure Mountain, Take Charge Tea, and Kids First Guysborough.
Square Roots has also been recognized in the Nova Scotia legislature and featured on CBC Radio’s Information Morning.
Procure said residents from neighboring communities – including St. Mary’s, Canso, and Antigonish – have reached out about bringing Square Roots to their areas. Although unable to expand sales directly to those regions, she said, “I always let people know if they have any interest in setting up a location, I am more than happy to connect them with the right people, answer any questions and guide them through the setup process.”
When a new location is launched, Square Roots Halifax donates 400 pounds of produce at no cost. “Your profits [from the first sale] are what you continuously use to buy for the next sale,” Procure explained.
Additional startup costs can include transportation, printing, scales, tables and other materials – all covered by sales revenue.
In Guysborough, the sale is held biweekly on alternating Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Kids First Guysborough. The group will also participate in a community market at the Guysborough Waterfront on May 31, hosted by Cast Away Café, and is planning a special event for Canada Day.
To stay up to date, residents can follow Square Roots Guysborough on Facebook.
Stated St. Mary’s Warden Fuller: “On the surface, it looks like something we could support.”