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11ENVIRONMENTGARDENINGTuesdaySeptember162014FortSmithHealthSocialServicesAuthorityWednesdaySeptember17at700p.m.HealthSocialServicesOneSystemStrategicDirectionPlanDiscussionHeldattheNorthernLifeMuseumCulturalCentre110KingStreetFortSmithRefreshmentswillbeprovided.Gametigardenerssowingseedsofself-sufciencyByMEAGANWOHLBERGLoadsofplumptomatoeshardypota-toescrispcabbageandrowsofcrunchycar-rotswerenottheonlythingstogrowfromGametiscommunitygardenthisyearwhereadreamofbeingentirelyself-sufcientby2019hastakenroot.ResidentsofthesmallTlichocommunityreapedagreatsenseofsatisfactionfromtheharvestoftheirrst-evergarden-thelarg-estintheterritory-somuchthatinthenextveyearstheywant100percentofthecom-munitysproducetobegrownharvestedandpreservedlocally.Theywereveryhappytolearntogardenveryreceptive.InfacttheyareaskingaboutgettingagreenhousesaidGametiSAOJudalDominicatatheleadbehindtheve-yearGrowingGametisWellnessproject.Around30peoplecommittedtohelpingDominicatagettoworkonthegardenprojectthissummerwhichsawcommunitygovern-mentrepresentativeshealthcentreemploy-eeseldersschoolchildrenandteachersgettheirhandsdirtyoverthegrowingseason.Over500kgoffoodwasharvestedthisfallandeverythinggrowninthegardenhasbeensharedthroughoutthecommunityespeciallywiththeeldersandtheyoung.Themajorityoftheproduceconsistedofpotatoesaswellastheusualcarrotslettucetomatoescornandeveneggplant.DominicatawhohasaPhDinagricul-turefromthePhilippinessaidgrowingfoodisapersonalpassionofhisandmadesensefortheisolatedNortherncommunityofabout300.Iamafarmerinmycountry.ThisismylifehesharedwithTheJournal.Iseethisastheonlysolutionforthesepeopletobecompetitivewithothers.Theysaythathealthiswealth.Peopleherearetoode-pendentonproducefromthesouth.ButItriedgardeninghereanditsverysuccess-fulsoifthatisthecaseletsjustcomeupwithourownfarmandthendevelopitanditcouldbeasuccess.Theprojectwhichexpandedtheoldgar-denfrom600to21600square-feetreceived40000infundingfromtheterritorialgov-ernment.Dominicataishopingtosecuremorefornextyearastheinspiredgardenerswanttoexpandthegardento43000square-feetbynextsummerandeventoraisechickensinthecommunity.Buttherststepwillbetosecureagreen-houselengtheningtheirgrowingseasonandgivingthecommunityaplacetosproutseedsinthespring.WeareaskingforagreenhousesothatwecanimprovetheproductiveeconomiclifeoftheplantsweareplantingsowecanstartearlyandharvestlateDomini-catasaid.Withoutaspacelastspringthegrouphadtoimprovise.ImusingthehousewhereIstayasagreenhouseDominicatasaidwithalaugh.Ipre-grewitthereforonemonthaheadbeforeMay.Dominicataishopingtooffermoretrain-ingthisfallintheareasofvegetablestorageandpreservationsothatnoneoftheproducefromthegardengoestowaste.Instructorsareexpectedtovisitthecommunitynextmonthtooffertrainingincanningdryingandfreezingfreshfoods.WewillgettrainersfromYellowknifetocomeherecertifythemsothattheywillbe-comecompetenthesaid.Ifwebringourpeopletoothercitiestotraintheretherateoffailureisveryhigh.Butifwetrainthemheregivethemexamshereandcertifythemhereitsgood.ApartfromthecommunitygardenDomini-catahasalsoconvincedsixfamiliesinGametitostarttheirowngardensofferingadviceandhelpalongtheway.Theyreveryeagertolearnhesaid.Theyareverycommitted.Childrenplantseedsattherst-evercommunitygardeninGameti.Atover2000squaremetrestheplotisthelargestcommunitygardenintheNorthwestTerritories.PhotoJudalDominicataTulitagardenersuprootgiantturnipTulitaMayorDannyYakeleyaleftandSahtuMLANormanYakeleyashowoffagiantturnipgrowninthecommunitygardenbyTulitaSAOCraigChai.TheMLAsaidthegardenhasbeenapositivewayforcommunitymemberstogetbacktothevalueofhardwork.PhotocourtesyofNormanYakeleya