Canada: Some Ottawans turning to urban farming to make ends meet
As food prices continue to climb, more people are turning their love for gardening into a way to save money.
The Canadian Press
CBC
Jan 22, 2023
Excerpt:
Even those who live in apartments are finding innovative ways to keep the greens growing.
Deborah Smeltzer had to downsize and adapt her gardening hobby after she moved out of her house two years ago.
“I had a huge garden. Every space in my yard was some kind of garden, and so I built a lot of knowledge through doing that — and then life changed,” she said.
Since moving into a one-bedroom apartment, she has experimented with ways to grow food in a minimized space.
In the warmer months she started growing produce on her balcony, but an ongoing feud with pigeons forced her indoors.
She has now built a plywood shelf atop the heater by her windows to make room for an ever-growing collection of avocado and lemon trees.
As for Etherington, he also hopes to pass along more than a love of gardening — a message of inclusiveness.
When he first started a small business putting together starter kits for people who are interested in gardening, he was hesitant about telling the world that he is a trans farmer, fearing backlash from a community that he didn’t think he fit into.
