Hay River (Jun 05/06) - Gene Hachey of Hay River has the ideal combination of career and hobby.

Hachey is a gardener, who occasionally gives presentations to other gardening enthusiasts in Hay River.

Hay River gardener Gene Hachey displays some of the compost ready for his garden this year. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

And, he is an agriculture, agri-foods and commercial wildlife development consultant with the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment.

"I have the perfect blend," he says of his pastime and work.

On May 30, he gave a presentation on trees and shrubs at the public library in Hay River. Earlier, he spoke about lawn care. Hachey says he gets a lot of satisfaction, both from his personal gardening and helping other people learn how to grow things.

"I think gardening will always be popular," he says, noting more and more people are becoming conscious of what they are eating.

This is the time of year when all gardeners are busy, he adds. "We've all got the itch."

Hachey was born on a farm in New Brunswick, but grew up in a military family which moved every two years.

"We always had a garden regardless of where we were," he recalls, adding he has also had a garden whenever possible throughout his adult life, including his 20 years living in Hay River.

"It's therapy. Everybody will tell you," he says. "There's something right about preparing an area, putting something in the ground and watching it grow."

Hachey says he and his wife, Sheila Ryan-Hachey, have a standard garden of potatoes, carrots, beans, beet, onions, cauliflower, broccoli and more.

In his job, Hachey is currently offering advice and assistance to a dozen NWT communities on establishing community gardens under the Small Scale Foods Program.

Hachey says this month he will visit many communities - Fort Good Hope, Lutsel K'e, Nahanni Butte, Fort Resolution, Jean Marie River, Kakisa, Fort Simpson, Whati, Deline, Tulita, Enterprise and Wrigley.

The size of the community gardens range from a third of an acre to a couple of acres, he says. "It depends on the number of participants."

Hachey will help with site identification and land preparation in the federal/territorial program, which will run for a minimum of two years.

"If you can offset the price of food, that's a big issue," he says of why people are interested in the community gardens.

While they are not intended to be commercial ventures, he notes it is up to the participants whether they sell their produce.

The gardeners will likely grow an assortment of vegetables, Hachey says. "It depends on the level of intensity they want to get into."