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LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
It was cold and blowing outside on Feb. 29 in Fort Simpson but inside the Dehcho First Nations boardroom, people were sifting soil through their hands and planting seeds.

Kathy Konisenta chooses seeds to add to her salad and herb counter-top garden during the Leaping into Spring workshop that Ecology North held in Fort Simpson on Feb. 29. - Roxanna Thompson/NNSL photo

Approximately 29 people attended the Leaping into Spring workshop that Ecology North delivered in the village. During the workshop, each participant planted a salad and herb counter-top garden inside reused plastic salad greens containers.

On its most basic level, the workshop was about giving people a chance to get their hands dirty and get excited about the upcoming growing season, said Teresa Chilkowich, who led the event.

"We can be building a whole lot of momentum going into the summer," she told the participants before showing them how to plant the miniature gardens.

The workshop, however, also had larger goals. To start the event, Chilkowich asked participants what they want to learn that will lead towards greater food security.

Answers included canning, companion planting, cold storage and fertilizing. Chilkowich also asked participants what areas they have experience in, such as preserving and sprouting, and would be willing to share.

It's all about building community through food security, she said.

The workshop was held as part of Ecology North's Local Food Learning and Leadership Program, which is focusing on supporting food production in the community and individual gardens as a complement to food provided through traditional harvesting activities.

People in the North are strides ahead of other areas in the country when it comes to food self-reliance, said Chilkowich.

The workshop and project is in part about getting people inspired about what else they can do to provide for their families, she said. The workshop was an opportunity to show the simplicity of some of the things that can be done, said Chilkowich.

"That's pretty fun when you can support people's 'aha!' moments," she said.

At the workshop, some of the revelations included how simple it is to grow sprouts in glass jars and how store-bought green onions can be encouraged to regrow by placing them in a jar with water after their green shoots have been trimmed down and eaten.

"It's inspiring," said Marion Storm while looking at her finished counter-top garden.

Storm said she'd tried to grow similar gardens in the past but without success. At the workshop, Storm discovered that she'd been over-watering them.

"Now I'm going to start doing this," she said.

At a nearby table, Erin Wyatt had planted thyme, spearmint, dill, basil and mesclun greens in her garden. Wyatt said she came to the workshop to learn more about gardening because she hopes to establish a garden for elders in the community.

"This is great," said Wyatt who called the workshop informative and hands-on.

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