Horticulture.

What does Horticulture mean to you personally?

As ‘HRT_1900_-_Horticulture_Field_Studies_I’ comes to an end, I find myself reflecting upon the journey thus far. In the past month, we have witnessed the wonders of horticulture from angles none of us considered. We saw jobs and the people who worked hard to build these businesses. From colossal greenhouses, to dirt fields with weeds and wildflowers. The diversity and willingness to share experiences, insight and knowledge still staggers me.

Poster_Project[1]

This week also saw the fruition of ‘Poster_Project‘. Specifically, what does Horticulture mean to you? I was nervous, the person I walked to class with was nervous. It wouldn’t be a leap to assume most of the class was nervous. This was in part due to that each project was deeply personal. Everyone shared personal experiences, some inspiring, some heartbreaking, but all genuine. Common themes popped out, like the therapeutic nature of gardening and working work plants. We were all gathered there to explore a common interest in the program and its content. Vastly unlike other programs where people gather to gain knowledge to strategically enhance their social standing. It was emotional. It was connecting. Powerful.

So where does that leave us? A ‘next step’? Well, as the class ends and proceeds in two groups, I can’t help but feel melancholy. I’m not entirely sure what I feel, but one thing is for sure; I’m heading to RamCreek Falls for the long weekend to unwind, recharge and contemplate and reflect upon the journey thus far.

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Author: Nathan Lepard

A horticulture student at Olds College, an avid adventure and amateur artist. Born in Manitoba, farming in Brandon MB, college in Kelowna BC, lived in Montreal Quebec, worked in ecology at Aurora ON, volunteered at a daycare in Spryfield NS, and was a professional DJ in Alberta for 2 years. Fed a starving village in the Rockies, hiked supplies to trapped persons in the 2012 flood, survived an airplane stall, stepped foot in land that no human had been before, and explored caves & abandoned sites around BC. Those are but some of the numerous escapades achieved thus far. This blog will show my weekly journey from now on. Enjoy!

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