This summer, the City of Yellowknife is encouraging residents to learn about growing their own vegetables by offering garden tours throughout July and August.
On a recent tour, host Sheila Laity showed off the relatively large garden in her own backyard where she grows produce for herself, her husband, their children and grandchildren.
Laity (left) talking about her carrots, lettuce, peas and tomato plants. Sara Verheul/Cabin Radio
“I grew up on a farm and so gardening was all my life. As a kid, we grew a garden, we grew literally everything we ate, so it was a normal thing,” Laity told Cabin Radio.
When she moved north, Laity and her husband started off their garden with just a few small pits. It has evolved significantly since.
A view of the Laity’s backyard and part of their garden. Sara Verheul/Cabin Radio
Laity grows everything she can in her garden – from strawberries to flowers and cayenne peppers, with several types of lettuce, kale and garlic, and haskap berry bushes – and says she is always trying out new plants.
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“I like to try something new every year, just something different to see how it will grow. I’ve had some duds and I’ve had some really good success with things,” she said.
Decorative flowers in Sheila Laity’s garden. Sara Verheul/Cabin Radio
Large garlic scapes. Sara Verheul/Cabin Radio
Potato plants lined up in rows. Sara Verheul/cabin Radio
Saskatoon berries on the tree. Sara Verheul/Cabin Radio
In her “pandemic purchase” greenhouse, Laity grows herbs such as dill and basil alongside larger plants like tomatoes and cucumbers.
Flower inside the greenhouse are used to attract bees and help with the pollination process, she said.
Flowers in the greenhouse to attract bees. Sara Verheul/Cabin Radio
Laity’s collection of homemade jams and pickles alongside a bowl of chopped rhubarb. Sara Verheul/Cabin Radio
Laity uses the produce from the garden and greenhouse in the likes of salads and kale chips, as well as for homemade pickles and jams.
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She decided to sign up for Yellowknife’s vegetable garden tours after being approached by somebody asking if she’d be willing to host one of them.
“I like to convince people to grow things, because it’s really easy to grow things and start with something little – a box, a bin, a little corner,” she said.
“Grow some herbs, grow some carrots, just try something and be a bit sustainable.”
The City of Yellowknife says it is running these tours to encourage more people to live sustainably and grow their own produce.
If you missed Laity’s garden tour, there are more tours open to the public in July and August. For a full tour schedule, visit the city’s facebook page.
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