Taproot

Lancaster Community Garden

Gardener Spotlight: Karen Olivier

Continued…

Looking at her garden bed, it tells a similar, well curated story. I invite her into the office and she patiently sits and waits while I flit around turning lights on and getting things set for the day. When I finally sit down in a chair opposite her, she smiles warmly and I realize this is the first opportunity she and I have really had to have a conversation. I know general, vague things about how she keeps a very busy schedule outside of the garden; I know she’s a mother and involved with other career obligations and extracurriculars. But I’m excited to finally have this chance to speak with her and get to know a bit more beyond those general pleasantries. She tells me about growing up; her father was an Army officer and it kept the family moving around while she was younger. I ask if gardening ever played a part in their nomadic life and she admits it was difficult and never all that serious –“it wasn’t until we were in South Carolina we finally had space for a garden, by that time my father was a more senior officer so we were able to live off-base, but even then it was just something to do, a hobby.” Once Karen was a young teen, the family settled down in southern New Hampshire where the family continued to keep a hobby garden in their backyard. 

“I’m not a gardener, I can’t stress that enough.” She says while she runs her fingers through her hair to push it out of her face, “the pole beans, for example, no one in my family likes them so I’m more than happy to donate them to [the gleaning program at] Taproot; but I’m excited to grow them for the experience of my six-year-old daughter. It’s so much fun watching her go through to find them all and pick them and that’s worth it to me, making that experience.” To me though, to be facilitating any of this happening makes her a gardener, and a particularly devoted one, at that. Another thing I never knew about Karen was that while she was living in Lincoln, she was instrumental in the formation of the Lincoln Community Garden, further defying her assertion that she isn’t a gardener. She told me about all the infrastructure struggles and pros and cons that needed to be weighed, issues I’m becoming all too familiar with now myself while I juggle the garden here. We end our conversation talking about pests and issues we’ve come up against this year; weeds seem to be a persistent issue for everyone and even on market farms where they’ve touted in previous years how weeds haven’t been an issue, they’ve suddenly become one this year. For the small backyard gardener, these perspectives can go overlooked and lead to feeling self-defeated. Her eyes light up as she smiles and looks up at me. “That is nice to know, that ‘professionals’ are having these problems too,” she says and I watch her posture change a bit while she looks out the window, and I hope she’s had the eureka moment that tells her, “I really am a gardener.”

Below is a little questionnaire with Karen’s responses; I invite you, too, to think about your answers:

1. Name and where you grew up? 

Karen Olivier.  I was born in San Diego, CA .  I have been in NH since 1983 and Lancaster since 2017.

2. Did you have a garden growing up?

Sometimes but not often.

3. Where do you live now?

Lancaster, NH

4. How many years have you been with the Lancaster Community Garden?

Maybe 5 years.

5. How many years have you been gardening?

Since 2011-ish when I joined another community garden in NH

6. Did someone teach you? A relative or friend?

YouTube and friends sharing tips.

7. Have you taught anyone to garden?

I have shared what I have learned with my older children, if that counts.

8. How did you get into gardening?

I wanted a sense of community and joined the garden the first year Lincoln, NH put a garden in.

9. What are you growing in your bed this year?

Sunflowers, zucchini, pole beans, nasturtium  

10. What are you planning on doing with it?

Eating and picking everything.  The pole beans will be donated for Taproot.

11. Do you store any of it for the winter months?

No, I haven’t really gotten into canning much.

12. How does the Community Garden integrate itself into your life now? 

I am usually at the garden 2-3 mornings a week. Depending on the weather.

13. What are some challenges you face in staying motivated?

I guess out of sight out of mind maybe….

14. What are some celebrations from your hard work?

The garden is growing and veggies and flowers are popping out.

15. What does self sufficiency mean to you?

Self sufficiency means that I can provide for myself and also for the community out of my abundance.

16. Why is it important?

It’s important because we never know when we or our neighbors will deal with food scarcity for any number of reasons.  When I/we know we can provide for ourselves and others there is a sense of security.

17. How can a community be self-sufficient?

Teaching self-sufficiency skills to the community.  Providing opportunities for people to have this experience. Sharing our knowledge with one another.

By Sam Zuk, Food Access & Community Engagement Coordinator