Make Me A Thriver

Make Me A Thriver

Make Me A ThriverDig into gardening and THRIVE!

For Lisa Kaye and her daughter Maya, thriving looks a lot like dirt under their fingernails and a few stains on their jeans. It looks a lot like hard work. For this duo, thriving is gardening. Because to them it is about more than growing fruits, vegetables and flowers. Gardening is about growing a healthy lifestyle physically and mentally, while cultivating their relationship. It’s something that Lisa is happy to pass down to her daughter.

“I’ve been gardening my whole life,” Lisa says. “We had just under two acres where I grew up and my mom and dad always had a huge garden spanning the backyard. We had apple trees and flowers as well. So, it hasn’t ‘recently’ become important, it’s always been a part of our lives, growing our own food on a small scale. I’ve just in the past few years been sharing more about it and people are asking questions. Anyone can do this even on a tiny scale! Being able to take something from seed to table right in your own space is rewarding. The taste difference is incredible, not to mention you control what goes on and in your homegrown food. I know it’s an organic practice, safe to pick and eat off the plant!”

Maya follows in her mom’s footsteps.

“I have always remembered her having a garden and I used to love to go take fresh tomatoes off the vine and eat them in the garden. I guess I just started helping her while she was out there and started learning about all the ways she did things and the reasons why,” Maya says. “I love eating really good food and it gives us things to do when we are bored. There is always something to do in the garden.”

LisaandMayalovedigging intogethertohelptheir gardenthrive.

Lisa and Maya make life simple by keeping their garden accessible, but they have also embarked on a new adventure, working together on a plot at Valley Veggies & Flowers.

“We have a decent-sized garden and multiple raised beds in our backyard,” Lisa explains. “Our flowers are mostly in the front yard and around the patio. We have both been gardening at home, canning and preserving our whole lives. Valley Veggies is another extension of our gardening. This will be season two for us there and we love every minute of the hard work!”

As they help the fruits of their labors thrive, all that labor they put in, in turn helps them thrive.

Maya doesn’t mind getting her hands dirty!

“For us it’s both relaxing and rewarding,” Lisa says. “You are constantly learning something: Trial and error, weather patterns, sunlight hours, what does this seed ‘need’ to germinate and produce. We also get to spend time together and connect with other like-minded growers at Valley Veggies, garnering knowledge from them and sharing stories and tips. Connections that are made between these gardeners are so special!”

Maya agrees. “I’ve met people that are so nice and that have a lot of experience to share. I know how to help customers learn to cut their own flower bouquets. I even got to decide what to plant where! I helped plant all the sunflowers last year and even designed a raised bed all by myself and got to watch it grow!”

A mother-daughter duo, thriving together.

To experience locally grown veggies and flowers, visit valleyveggiesmn.com. Lisa Kaye is from Radio Mankato (Minnesota 100, KTOE and North Star 105.9).