Island farmer gives P.E.I. newcomers place to try their hands at gardening

In a farmer's field in Winsloe, P.E.I., Teresa Mendoza and her husband Carlos Davila are listening intently to an introduction to gardening.

Topics include when the best time to plant tomatoes is, how to use gardening tools and what to do if there's a frost warning — things that are all completely new to Mendoza. 

"It's my first time growing things," she said.  

Mendoza and her husband are one of six newcomer families who have signed up for a new gardening program run by Valerie Fitzpatrick and the P.E.I. Association for Newcomers to Canada.

The association has rented two-and-a-half acres from a local farmer and has given the families plots to plant anything they want and tend to their garden whenever they please. 

Mendoza and her husband moved to P.E.I. 10 months ago, and neither have ever gardened before. But Mendoza says it reminds her of home. 

"I think it's a good experience for me and for my husband," she said. "My father grows things, like a hobby.

"I want to follow the familiar tradition." 

'Half a world away'

Wade Campbell has owned the land for several years. He contacted the association to see if there was any interest from people who had never gardened before or for those who have, but are unable to because they live in apartments. 

"It's a piece of what some people may have, you know, spent their whole lives doing. So there's some comfort in the gardening thing," Campbell said.

"I just think they should have a chance to get back at it." 

Campbell said he hopes the experience brings people from different walks of life together.

"You walk in here and you meet somebody who might be from China. But your next-door neighbour in the plot may be from Syria, which is exactly what's going on here," said Campbell.

"They're a half a world away and you're actually a half a world away again, sort of sharing that experience. You're here in P.E.I. doing that." 

'Moments of serendipity'

The program had its beginnings in Fitzpatrick's backyard, as she invited members over to check out her garden. 

It'll be interesting for me to watch what they can accomplish here.— Wade Campbell, farmer

"That was sort of an introduction to gardening. You know what I grow, how I grow it, companion planting, what grows on P.E.I., all of that sort of thing," she said. 

"Then it was just kind of one of those moments of serendipity because we had just wrapped up these seven sessions over the course of about two weeks when Wade Campbell called to say, 'I have garden plots.'" 

Because of COVID-19, the association sees this gardening project as a way for families to spend quality time together, as other programs might not be available this summer. 

"We really want to put as much as we can into this project because the whole family can get involved, they can come out here to the farm as often as they want," said Fitzpatrick. 

Mendoza said she is going to try to grow black corn in her plot, something that grows in Mexico. She asked Campbell if he had any tips for her. 

"I've had a few of them ask me about certain exotic plants and I just have to say I don't know because I've never tried that," he said.

"It'll be interesting for me to watch what they can accomplish here."

Campbell and Fitzpatrick hope the field in Winsloe becomes a place for family outings through the summer, hopefully with some crops to harvest at the end of the season. 

"I always just say you know, buy some seeds of whatever you like, try it, see how it works out and if it doesn't work out so well this year you can try a different crop next year," Fitzpatrick said.

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