Meet Paul!
At Vita we are passionate about helping everyday people grow delicious, organic and sustainable vegetables right in their home all year round. This passion goes far beyond the development and design of garden beds and systems. We are constantly immersing ourselves in the science and philosophy of growing food. This means partnering with like minded movements and building relationships with experts in the field of horticulture. This year we have taken a significant step forward in this journey by adding horticulturist Paul Smith to our team. Paul grew up on a 4th generation homestead, where he learned first hand self sufficient, sustainable and ecological approaches to organic farming and gardening methods. Paul's expertise are in understanding ecosystems and recognizing the biodiversity that harmonizes natural habitats to support the growing sustainability of organic food production. Yea, that sounds a little complicated! Basically, some vegetables can be used as physical support for others. For example, corn and sunflowers can support cucumbers, beans and snow peas and legumes draw nitrogen from the atmosphere and add it to the soil around them. This also extends to the role insects play in gardening. Planting large leafy plants can shelter beneficial insects and planting marigolds attracts bees while repelling many pests. In fact, nearly 90% of all crops grown for human food require bees and other insects in order to thrive. This is biodiversity and Paul understands how all this works. It’s why we have him on team! We are excited to leverage his knowledge and expertise so our Vita community can gain a deeper understanding of the science behind garden and ultimately grow more tasty vegetables. Watch Paul in action as he explains and builds the Vita Beneficial garden on the Nicholson farm in Brigden, Ontario. https://vimeo.com/233542800
