Page 54 - At Home Prince Edward County

CARSON ARTHUR - Man On A Mission

By Janet Davies

ovid 19 inspired many people to comfy chairs and local food to die for.
C become gardeners – sometimes to their Carson Arthur is on a mission to encour-
surprise. Being forced to stay home meant age people to grow more of their own food.
finding things to keep us busy and stimu- When Random House talked him into

lated. For some it was baking, others writing a book, his jokey working title was
painted everything that didn’t move and How to Survive the Zombie Apocolypse by
others began to garden in earnest. Growing Your Own Food. It’s final name is
They say Generation X (born between Vegetables, Chickens and Bees, an honest guide
1965 and 1980) is responsible for the explo- to growing your own food anywhere.
sion of interest in gardening and TV shows If Generation X gradually grew an inter-
and “celebrity gardeners” have stoked it. est in gardening, the Millennials hit the
Carson Arthur is one of those gardening ground running with trowels. They’re all
celebrities appearing on HGTV and, since about farm-to-table, sustainability and
moving to the County, presenting a radio grow-your-own, from one tomato plant on
show on CJBQ. Now he welcomes new and the balcony to turning their whole front
experienced gardeners to his garden centre yards over to veggies – and they share
with a difference. Carson’s Garden Market. every step on Instagram.
is a cheery, leafy place filled with very cool On Carson’s website, do check out the
stuff that will inspire you to Grow Your terrific growing workshops he runs year
Own Everything. There are decorative round. He’s working with Mennonite
plants on offer, too, but growing food is growers on fruit and nut tree cultivation
what excites him. with a view to growing more varieties in
The market is on six acres with green- the County.
houses, herb and vegetable gardens, goats He unabashedly loves good tools. “I
in the yard and a shop selling everything don’t want to sell blah tools. “You can get
from herb seedlings to house plants, top adequate, everyday tools other places, so
quality tools to toddlers’ flannel shirts. I’m specializing in high end gardening
Flossie’s Sandwiches is onsite, too, with tools that won’t break, they’ll last a lifetime

54 @HOME CONSTRUCTION, RENOVATION & GARDENING DIRECTORY