There has been an increasing interest in community gardening over the last year but with lockdowns and social distancing in place some changes were bound to occur. The Schreiber Seniors Centre Virtual Garden Club was formed in conjunction with the Schreiber Public Library to keep avid gardeners in touch with each other and share tips and secrets for good gardening.

With food security being on everyone's minds, it makes sense to learn a bit about growing your own food. Although to most seniors that have always been gardening, that was not the only motivation. It was considered essential, especially among residents with Italian heritage to always have a garden. Community pride was on full display based on the quality and quantity of your harvest. Todays modern gardener is more likely to take up this hobby because of the health and activity benefits. 

North Western Ontario is certainly not the first place to come to mind when one thinks of gardening or even growing produce. Our harsh weather systems make it extremely difficult to predict a good growing season. Another fact is that no single garden cold supply all the necessary food for an entire year, so some people choose to focus on a smaller variety of products.

Some people just seem to have a knack for growing certain produce. Cathy Carlino, the project manager at the Schreiber Senior Centre, contacted Schreiber Media Centre with the idea to highlight one such couple whose most famous crop is garlic. Sara and Jimmy Costa are two of the townships most dedicated gardeners and at 85 and 91 years old respectively have been growing garlic in the exact same spot for over 40 years.

Donna Mikeluk, head librarian and co-ordinator of the little sprouts community garden is also a keen garlic grower and came along to meet the “King and Queen of Garlic” and get some tips. Sara was also keen on sharing some cooking tips with us. Both Jimmy and Sara take pride in their garden and often give away some of their crop. 

An interesting aspect to their approach is the use of all natural materials. They have been growing organically even before it was fashionable. A tour of the greenhouse, where Jimmy grows his own hot peppers was very insightful. He has many customers from around the area that flock to him for his lovingly grown and tasty produce. It was a privilege to be allowed entry to the royal couples domain and witness the love and determination they put into growing their own food.