INUVIK - Six-year-old Kiersten Rogers wasted no time showing off her prize crop after leaving her garden plot at the Inuvik Community Greenhouse on Saturday afternoon.

As she took in the scenes of the fall fair held just outside the entrance she hauled from her garden bag a zucchini half her size.

Six-year-old Kiersten Rogers shows off the garden plot she tends with her mother at the Inuvik Community Greenhouse on Aug. 15. - Andrew Rankin/NNSL photo

"It's heavy," she said with a beaming smile.

She was quick to point out that she and her mom Tammy have produced a whole bounty of crops in their little greenhouse garden, including spinach, chives, carrots, corn, tomatoes and even flowers, which they've since transplanted to their yard. Gnawing on one of her own carrots, Kiersten said her favourite of them all is peas.

"I love them," she said. "They're delicious."

Since last April the mother-daughter duo have been visiting their garden three to four times a week preparing the soil, planting the seeds, weeding, and harvesting. Sometimes the work can be hard, but Kiersten thrives on it.

"She loves it," said her mom. "She loves getting in the dirt and getting muddy. She's just enthusiastic about everything she does."

So enthusiastic that Kiersten said most of the time she doesn't have time to talk to her fellow gardeners at the greenhouse.

But afterwards she's always happy to hear that many of them have told her mother how talented she is.

The pair have been gardening at the greenhouse for the last three years.

Kiersten isn't afraid to admit that on more than one occasion she has dreamed about gardening and the greenhouse.

"When I go to sleep I have had dreams about the whole greenhouse being mine," she said.

One of her secrets to success is "being careful."

She has no plans of slowing down. Even as she enters Grade 1, she hasn't lost her enthusiasm for producing and eating her own food, plus the other important element of gardening.

"It makes me feel really joyful," she said.