When I think back to where and how my love of gardening began, I am suddenly back in my dad’s garden and standing in rows and rows of okra plants, which were taller than my six-year-old self.

Although I hated picking the prickly okra in the stifling Texan heat, I was proud that my dad trusted me to help him. He didn’t realize it at the time, but I loved spending one-on-one time with him away from my three younger siblings and learning how he could coax so many vegetables out of the parched Texas soil.

Fast forward many years, and I discovered garden heaven when my husband Brad and I moved to his home state on an acreage south of Des Moines with our two toddlers. The first thing I did after unpacking boxes was to establish a large garden and begin processing all of the fruits vegetables it rendered. I found that “canning” is somewhat a lost art, so over the years I have taught a few friends how good home-raised food tastes and fun digging in the dirt can be.

I have always had rather unglamorous jobs, which included being a zoo-keeper for the pandas and hoof stock at the National Zoo, a veterinary technician after securing a two-year degree in veterinary medicine, and a ten-year stint as a wastewater operator in Indianola after finally receiving a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science when my children were in middle school.

Several years ago, one of my friends introduced me to the Iowa Food Co-op, and I immediately felt that these were my people; I could buy fruits and vegetables (and more) from gardeners just like me! Since 2020, I have been on the staff at Iowa Food Co-op and have enjoyed working to educate others about food security in these uncertain times.