Header photo by Gustavo Oliveira.

The Iqaluit Community Greenhouse is one of the most special places in Iqaluit for me. It’s a place that brings together resourcefulness, creativity, hard work, and certainly passion. I’ve been involved with the Greenhouse ever since I came to Iqaluit in 2007. Even when I left Iqaluit for 2 years to pursue a Masters of Rural Planning, I came back up to the greenhouse to research community agriculture in the North. Since I came back full time in 2012, I have become increasingly involved in the Greenhouse, landing myself on the Board of Directors last year.

The greenhouse fills more than just the need for getting my hands dirty and enjoying (BEAUTIFUL!) fresh produce all summer long. It’s more than just the "southern love" for harvesting fresh salad greens and then the same night, sharing them with friends at a harvest dinner. It’s also a chance to interact with and inform the public on the importance of self-reliance, and to slowly increase food security in Iqaluit, one lettuce leaf at a time.