Abegweit First Nation's first community garden a huge success

A new garden project from the Abegweit First Nation in Scotchfort, P.E.I. is developing skills among young people, and helping people eathealthierfood.

About 20 people from the nation helped plant, maintain and harvest the onehectare plot over the last five months.

"It's absolutely amazing," said a smilingBrezlyn Knockwood.

The 21-year-olddidn't expect to get into gardening, "But now I can't imagine myself going and having a home without having my own garden," he said.

'Room to fail, room to learn'

Knockwoodwas one of several young peoplefrom Abegweit who grew crops on The Shepherd's Farm in Mount Stewart last summer, mentored by farmer StephenCousins.

This year Cousins told band officials the garden should be in the community.

"One of the chiefs out west said to his people, 'We don't owe you dependency, we owe you opportunity' and that's my heart to give people an opportunity, room to fail, room to learn," said Cousins.

Crops decided on by community members

Community members decided what would be grown by posting on theEpekwitkGardens and PreservesFacebookpage.

A long list of crops were all grown pesticide-free: asparagus, raspberries, potatoes,strawberries, corn, lettuce, spinach, winter squash, cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, beets, rhubarb, yellow beans, pumpkins, carrots, cauliflower, salad greens, herbs, broccoli and onions.

"This is something that makes a lot of people happy," said Knockwood.

Teaching new skills

Cousins said being involved in the gardenhas taughtyoung people skills like being on time,taking initiative, learning how to do marketing, and working rain or shine.

Knockwood said one of his favourite parts of the project is delivering fruits and vegetablesfrom the garden to elders and to children atthe community'sdaycare.

"It's the younger generation, and they think it's absolutely amazing when you tell them where it came from, and they see carrots with the heads on, and they think that's amazing," said Knockwood.

'We don't just want to plant hope'

Produce from the garden is also being sold at the Epekwitk Gas Bar.

"It's gone very well. And I feel it's gone well because they have ownership," said Cousins.

Cousinswants to see the gardengrow even bigger next year, adding an apple orchard and some grapes, and getting more customers off-reserve, including custom growing forrestaurants, and possibly even adding a greenhouse.

'Eating so much healthier'

Abegweit First Nation officials are all for expanding the project.

"We have many elders who have their own plots up there, and they go and pick their own fresh produce, and they've been eating so much healthier. It's great," saidJenene Wooldridge,director of operations atthe Abegweit First Nation. She said some families are doing the same.

The garden was started with funding from the Mi'kmaq Confederacy of P.E.I. Employment Services Program which is funded by Services Canada. Funding and support has also come from the AbegweitFirst Nationand the Heart and Stroke Foundation of P.E.I., and all the seeds and plants were donated by Vesey's Seeds and Vankampen's.

Anyone is welcome to visit the garden. Just drop in at the band office, and staff will point you in the right direction.

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