Meet a G.N.O.M.E. donating homegrown produce in Carlsbad, CA
Our Giving GNOMEs may have different approaches to gardening, but they all agree that Growing Nutritious and Outrageously-fresh Meals for Everyone is a meaningful way to give back to their communities. We're highlighting a few of their stories.
"Being able to share has been great for me because I don't have to worry about anything going to waste."
1. In 2-3 sentences, tell us a little about you and your garden.
I'm a recently retired woman that finally has an abundance of gardening space to enjoy. I live in southern CA, so my garden is productive almost year round.
2. What motivates you to grow and share your homegrown produce?
I love growing new varieties of produce in my garden, but there are only three people living here, so we can't possibly eat it all. Being able to share has been great for me because I don't have to worry about anything going to waste.
3. Tell us about your proudest gardening moment.
Donating 50 lbs of produce in one week last August.
4. What garden tool can you not live without?
My blacklight headlamp. Come August I find myself in a battle with my nemesis, the tomato hornworm. One of those little buggers can decimate a healthy tomato plant. They are hard to see in the daytime because they are well camouflaged, but I discovered that if you shine a black light on them at night, they will glow in the dark. Then they can be easily picked off your plant. I spend several evenings in August hunting hornworms and recruit my kids to help out as well.
5. What piece of advice would you give a beginning gardener?
If it doesn't grow well, ask questions. There is so much information out there and lots of gardeners that are willing to share their knowledge via Reddit, YouTube or other forums. There are local gardening experts too (I just learned last year how to artificially fertilize my zucchini plants). I've always had a few tomato plants here and there, but have only gotten seriously into gardening these past 3 years. You quickly learn what grows well where and when.
Meet more Fresh Food Connect Giving GNOMEs here!