INUVIK - While outside the temperatures hovered around zero, Inuvik's Community Greenhouse had gardeners sweating while turning over their gardens this past weekend.

Sheena Adams is the new Inuvik Community Greenhouse co-ordinator for the 2011 season. She comes fresh from school with a degree in biology and looks forward to experimenting with the Arctic growing season. - Samantha Stokell/NNSL photo

The Community Gardening Society of Inuvik held its AGM on May 14, thereby officially opening its doors for the season and assigning plots within the greenhouse. While the commercial greenhouse has buzzed with activity since March, temperatures have risen enough to allow members to get started in the main atrium.

Returning member Melinda Gillis has gardened in the greenhouse for the past four years and looks forward to getting started for this year.

"I love it. I love the vegetables," Gillis said. "And it's a good reason to get out of the house at night."

Gillis' friend Melissa Lennie is gardening for her second year. She loves it, too.

"There's a great sense of satisfaction of feeding your family fresh vegetables. You know what's in it," Lennie said. "It's a nice place to escape to. It's work, but it's good work."

With a new co-ordinator in place this year, the society has a lot of plans for both greenhouse members and gardeners in the rest of the community. The first annual Seedy Saturday will be held on May 28, giving growers an opportunity to trade and purchase seeds, in addition to a potting station for kids, door prizes and workshops.

The annual plant sale from the commercial greenhouse will be on June 4, with a variety of plants designed for Northern performance. The new Proven Winners brand that co-ordinator Sheena Adams started growing should sprout even in the tough climate of Inuvik.

"They're drought tolerant, can take the high amount of light. They're bred to perform, like a stallion," Adams said. "We're growing from seed and from cuttings which allows us to bring in greater variety and fit more on the airplane."

Adams moved to Inuvik one month ago from Abbotsford, B.C., and has degrees in biology and horticulture. She chose to take the co-ordinator position at the greenhouse because of the community aspect.

"If it was just a commercial greenhouse, I wouldn't have come," Adams said. "I feel like I have a lot of the experience in horticulture to give back to the community. It validates all I've done in my career and I wanted a non-profit, community experience.

Inuvik, with its intense, 24-hour sunlight, dry air and alkaline soil, will offer a much different planting and growing experience than Adams' past place of residence.

"Nothing has prepared me for this, but my skills are adaptable," she said. "At work and school everyone has been very supportive, and proud and jealous. I think they would like to have this experience."

Refocus

This year, the greenhouse has refocused its mandate on its original plan – having a commercial greenhouse to sustain the community greenhouse and gardening throughout the Beaufort-Delta communities.

In 2010, the greenhouse raised $3,902.03 through the gift shop and $80,585.79 through sponsorship, plant sales, lotto, fall fair and cut flowers. Meanwhile, costs for staff, building upkeep, fundraising, the community garden and the greenhouse plants generated a profit of $32,710.93. Combined with a $55,000 grant from the GNWT's Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, the greenhouse was able to install a seeding room, hire Adams, complete some mould remediation and install a working bathroom.

"We need to generate revenue. We can't sustain on handouts," said Janet Boxwell, a board member. "We're a non-profit society, but we need to run a profit."

The key to making the greenhouse successful lies with the members, who must volunteer 15 hours each year. The volunteers keep the greenhouse running using any and all skills: plumbing, chopping up compost, electrical and painting, to name a few.

"I'm really looking to tap into the human resources that we have," Boxwell said. "The greenhouse is volunteer driven and volunteer led. We need the volunteers."

The community greenhouse has 74 full plots, which are usually divided into half plots. Although all the plots have been assigned, Boxwell encourages hopeful gardeners to put their name on the wait list, as plots usually reopen in June.

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.