there were no restrictions. I could start and stop as I needed. If I struggled to get up from the ground, no one was there to witness my strategic moves to get back on my feet. I delved deeply into how being in nature — watching bees, slowing down — can be therapeutic. Slowing down isn’t something you do in the corporate world. There’s no such beast. I use the phrase, “the accident on purpose,” because the purpose was to reconnect me with myself and teach me to slow down. I’m a Virgo and a Type A personality. But at that point in my life, I was forced to move in slow motion and realize what’s really important in my life.
Do you feel like the universe had a reason for this?
At that moment, it felt like the universe was punishing me. But I do believe as I was moving through the process, it was on purpose. And one purpose was for me to learn about advocacy. We’re speaking about plants and nature, and at this moment, everyone’s on board. Many people would say, “Right on, I’m right there.” But my accident was in 2010 and, back then, growing things, landscaping, soil quality, herbs and anti-inflammatory foods were not on the radar. So yes, I think I was given an opportunity to hone some intuitive and speculative knowledge into something very viable. I could be seen as a trusted source when guiding people on what products they could grow and in what environment — even in small spaces. I’ve learned so many insightful tips and tools that, had I not gone through this experience, I would never have been aware of, to this degree. Now, soil and nature and having my hands on the ground — it’s the building blocks for everyone’s life. People maybe just don’t know it. I would hate for people to have accidents to realize how important their outdoor space is to them, whether it’s theirs or the community’s. Your broadened gardening knowledge gained during this experience has earned you some accolades. Tell me about some of the awards you’ve received thanks to your efforts to reconnect others to gardening. When my children were small, maybe a little socially awkward like myself, one of my ways of helping them was to consistently order soil and seeds and have the kids in the community grow plants. That’s how most of the people on my cul-de-sac started eating salads — because they were growing their own. In that regard, I’ve reconnected with growing a community garden and really enhanced my ability to grow food. I was recognized by my local city, the City of Pickering, which is quite well-known for its international sustainability status — now in its 12th year. I received an award for sustainability. I also received an award for energy efficiency because of the way I grow using a permaculture approach. I produce very little garbage that goes back into the community and landfills. Additionally, I received two awards from the Canadian Health Food Association during COVID: one for being a change agent and another for cultural diversity because I grow foods from around the world. At the start of COVID, I received a very prestigious award as one of the top 100 Black women entrepreneurs in Canada. Continued >
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