Leslie Haniliak is growing fresh greens in one of ten mini greenhouses donated to the community
Greenhouses have been becoming popular in the North in the last couple of years, especially since Covid-19. There have been many people trying their luck at gardening in places you would have never thought would work. The North is cold for most of the year, but we also have the awesome 24-hour sunlight, hence the saying "Land of the Midnight Sun".
One individual decided to try her gardening skills in Cambridge Bay. Leslie Haniliak grew up in the community and knows all too well the high prices and quality of food in the North.
A proud mother of four, Haniliak decided to see if she had a green thumb and planted a garden of her own. Her greenhouse was made by Peter Laube of Kalvik Enterprises, who built and donated ten mini greenhouses to the community.
Haniliak planted her seeds on Aug. 25, a mixture of herbs, lettuce and green beans, " I am growing my own salads, 92 litres of water was mixed with the soil and fertilizer so not much water was needed after mixing, to date I have watered them seven times," she said.
Haniliak's greenhouse has been flourishing nicely despite the cold.
Getting children involved in gardening gives them a chance to see where and how food from the store shelves are grown.
"My children have been helping me water the garden and have had many questions," said Haniliak. "My kids have always loved eating greens and love them with dips."
Fall is upon us and harvesting will have to happen before the cold hits. Haniliak is looking forward to next year when she can begin to plant earlier in the spring.