Store-bought tomatoes just don’t cut it for Ponoka County residents Tanya and Marcello Marano, both children of Italian immigrants.
Italy, fondly referred to as ‘La Dolce Vita,’ meaning ‘The Sweet Life,’ is well-known for its culture of enjoying good food, art and company.
For the Maranos, growing organic produce is about providing the best possible food for their family as well as getting back to their roots.
The couple were both raised on homegrown food – their grandparents and their parents all kept gardens – and they have raised their own three children (now 20, 18 and 15) the same way.
So when they started ‘Morning Meadows Homestead’ on a 5.5 acre plot in a subdivision south of Ponoka three years ago, there was no question they would continue that tradition.
“It’s about feeding your family and having pride in growing something yourself,” said Tanya.
“We grew up with that, having Italian immigrants as parents … It’s in our blood.”
After moving to Ponoka County, they began planting, building and planning their homestead right away.
While historically a ‘homestead’ meant settling and cultivating land, nowadays it also refers to the self-sufficient lifestyle of growing and raising food and producing other goods from the land, but on a smaller scale.
“We built everything from the ground up,” said Tanya.
They got to work building large garden boxes covered with hoop houses, building a greenhouse and planting their orchard with plum, apple and pear trees.
While it will be some years before those trees start to pay dividends, their berry bushes and strawberry patch are producing nicely.
As Italians, high-quality tomatoes were a top priority: they specialize in tomatoes, growing two or three varieties each season, but also grow other staples such as peppers, lettuce, celery, carrots and all their own herbs, said Tanya.
“We do as much as we can.”
They have also been successful growing watermelons, cantaloupes and artichokes – usually not possible in Canada’s lower temperatures.
“I like the challenge of growing things that wouldn’t normally (grow here),” said Tanya.
“Otherwise life gets boring,” she added with a laugh.
Beyond produce, the Maranos have previously kept bees for honey and had a wild flower garden and sold bouquets.
They also have two chicken coops and sell farm fresh, free range eggs.
One coop is all Silkies and they sell those hatching eggs and chickens, and the other coop is mixed breeds.
As a vegan, Tanya doesn’t process her chickens, but when her husband, who is a chef, wants a meal with protein, they support other homesteaders by purchasing the meat from them.
Since moving from Ontario to Alberta, they’ve found sourcing organic materials and seeds to be challenging, as it’s not as accessible here, said Tanya.
She said she’s learned that if you want to eat clean, you have to do it yourself, down to utilizing their own compost bin to return nutrients to the soil. But the benefits are worth the effort.
Tanya attests to the health benefits of eating organic and avoiding overly processed food with added sugars and salt.
“I see the difference when we are on vacation, away from our element,” she said, adding they just don’t feel well after eating more convenient food.
Growing organic certainly isn’t about saving money – it’s a labour of love and requires dedication.
You also need to be okay with not always having an abundance, especially if plants aren’t covered, as yields can be unpredictable, Tanya said.
Marcello is a chef and runs Thyme to Cook, a cooking school in Ponoka.
“It ties in with our theme here on the homestead of teaching humans how to grow and cook for themselves,” said Tanya.
“I want more and more people to get educated about food and about health,” said Tanya.
“That’s where my passion is.”
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