People of the land

By Maung Tin

The Inuvik Community Greenhouse is an extraordinary place. A place where your senses come alive. As you swing open the front door, your sight immediately fills with a world of greenery, ranging from large tall plants to small shrubs, vibrant colorful flowers to vines climbing wooden arbors. It smells fresh and alive as a hint of wetness in the air captures the aromas of different herbs.

The structure of that is now a greenhouse has undergone tremendous changes over the years. In the beginning it resembled a Quonset hut and housed hockey arena. Now, with its roof replaced with Plexiglas, the sun penetrates into this vast space and nurture growth. Today, the Inuvik Community Garden is known as one of the largest and most northern community greenhouses in North America. Over a decade ago the Community Garden Society of Inuvik (CGSI) with the support of Aurora College brought the project together in hopes of community development. The greenhouse consists of two components: the main floor houses 74 raised plots for Inuvik residents. Some of these plots are sponsored for elders, group homes, children’s groups, the mentally disabled, as well as local charities. The second floor totals 4000 square feet and is designed for commercial purposes, this space is designated for bedding plants; as well, hydroponics vegetables are grown to cover operation and management costs. With the objective of being environmentally friendly, gardeners adhere to the goals of recycling, reusing, and reducing. In fact, the » greenhouse encourages gardeners to bring their own biodegradable waste from their kitchens for compost and encourages them to utilize organic fertilizer, to ensure chemical free soil.

The organizers take innovative measures to promote the greenhouse. This year Ashli-Lisa McCarthy, who managed the day-to-day operations of the facility, organized the Fall Fair, which has become an annual event. The Fall Fair “allows for a chance to get community members that don’t have a plot to come in and see what it is all about”, explains McCarthy. For those that had a plot in the greenhouse, the Fall Fair was an added perk to celebrate and display their beautiful gardens to the public.

In order to truly enjoy gardening you have to experience the stages of growth, states Lucy Kuptana.

Seven years ago Kuptana had little knowledge about gardening, but she decided to start her plot in the greenhouse. Today, her beautiful garden consists of mint, cucumber, rhubarbs, gladiolas, nasturtiums, peas, tomatoes, peppers and rosemary. “When it is time for harvest enjoying the fruits of your labor is the most satisfying feeling because you nurtured it yourself day-in day-out, you know what you put in it and because of these reasons you are comfortable eating it” says Kuptana. It has also become a place where she and her boys spend time together seeding and watering the plants.

Social interaction among gardeners is another major component of the greenhouse that allows for getting to know the community better. For newcomers there is plenty of help and knowledge that can be gained from the long-term members. Three years ago, for Melinda Gillis, the greenhouse was a stepping-stone into gardening. Her husband wanted to build her a greenhouse at home but she is hesitant to take that step because of the many friends she may have to leave behind and the many tips she gains from them. She explains “being part of this has been beneficial because so many people here know so much about growing from fertilizing to pollination using methods I was unaware of.” Gillis who has one full-plot is going to add another one next season to make available more produce for her family of seven.

Given the geographic remoteness, Inuvik depends on the more southern parts of Canada for all its produce. By the time transportation costs are taken into account, the prices of produce jump almost three-fold on cost of buying vegetables. Hundred dollars for a full plot and fifty dollars for half a plot plus a membership fee of Twenty-five dollars per season is a small price to pay compared to the benefits gained for fresh, locally grown produce. Moreover, members can thoroughly enjoy many other benefits such as having a key to access the greenhouse at their leisure to having access to flower and vegetable sales a day prior to the public sales. Near the end of September the greenhouse wraps up its operations for the year and reopens in March. For many growing in the greenhouse is cyclical; but for others it is a new found hobby that adds a little green in life to warm their hearts.∞