Winter in NL usually brings with it a guarantee of thick ice on ponds and lakes, but not this year; we haven't had consistent freezing temperatures. As a result, people might want to think twice about some of the things they'd typically be doing by the first week in February. Garry MacKenzie is a volunteer with the Bay of Islands Search and Rescue in Western Newfoundland. Also, we’ve all seen how quickly store shelves can empty with delays in ferry crossings or during the early days of the pandemic. According to the latest data from 2017, Newfoundland and Labrador has the highest rate of food insecurity of all the Canadian provinces. It’s more than just our response to temporary delays in that food supply chain though. The need for food self-sustainability is critical. Food First NL is about to launch a pilot project with that goal in mind, called the Western Food Hub. Josh Smee is the CEO of Food First NL.