ABOUT BARAKA GARDENS
Plants. When it ain't snowin'.
WHAT IS BARAKA?
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Baraka Gardens was named in the memory of our owner Tasha Bradsell’s late husband, Andy Bradsell.
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The most direct translation of the word Baraka is “a blessing.” Baraka is perfect peace. That moment when you feel at one with the earth. At one with the Creator, Mother Earth, or friends and family.
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Whatever you believe, it does not matter what you call those minutes of pure connection. It’s the moment that has no words to describe. It’s simply Baraka – beautiful and beyond words.
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As an avid and skilled fisherman and hunter, Andy used the word Baraka to describe those moments that were literally beyond words. He would be in a boat with his mates, sun shining and fish jumping…he would look at them and say nothing more than Baraka. They knew what he meant.
ABOUT
TASHA
After losing my husband in Iraq, everything in my life came into question. The journalism career I once loved became something I couldn’t put my heart into anymore. Covering war and the world’s turmoil became less important than staying close to my family.
In a series of twists and turns, I bought an acreage with a small existing greenhouse. It seemed crazy at the time, but I wanted to be in the kind of place I imagined Andy and I might one day live.
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“I think of gardening as Baraka because it’s quite simply,
a primal moment. We’ve lost much in our modern
grocery-shopping world. So, when we get to harvest
our own food by fishing or hunting, when we nurture
seeds into food or a beautifully coloured garden, we
feel a reward that goes straight to our soul.
The sun on your back as you dig into the dirt, maybe little critters scurrying about doing their small but important jobs, the knowledge that you are working in tune with the natural world...if you garden with intent, we can promise you a 'Baraka' moment!”Look first at Cotton Balls' accusing eyes. Then glance down at the label on the box delivered today. It came from the U.S.
It's a box of tags for the premium plants we all love in our hanging baskets, containers and beds.
This is a single example of the complex strands that twine through our economies. Our connections are a challenge to escape.
For evidence look no further than any greenhouse. Oil produced in Alberta, shipped to the US, returns as polycarbonate our greenhouses are built from. No surprise there. But overall, greenhouse growing in Canada can hardly escape multinational connections.
Premium plants owned by large companies are nurtured in massive quantities in countries like Guatemala where the climate is warm and costs are low. They are clipped and shipped to select greenhouses across the world to other large (but not as huge) greenhouses know as "rooting stations" where they are basically cloned and sold to growers like us in trays of 100. We buy thousands. Seeds for these plants simply don't exist for purchase.
The genetics of said plants are owned by huge corporations such as Syngenta (now Chinese owned) or Selecta (American owned) BUT they are mostly brokered by other international companies. We use reps from Ball Horticultural which is a family-owned company in the US and also has it's own line of plants.
One of our favorite horticultural companies/breeders is Dummen Orange which is, as one might expect, from the Netherlands. When their catalog arrives we drool. They are (for reasons a little greenhouse owner hasn't bothered to investigate)
- ince then, Bar&aka Gardens has become a part of my heart and soul. It has helped me find peace and allowed me to raise our children in a place that feels closer to him. I’ve gained wonderful staff, friends and neighbours. I have been blessed to serve and get to know hundreds of customers, all of whom experience a little piece of Baraka when they visit. encourage you to make this year’s gardening plans your opportunity to have a Baraka moment. he activity of gardening allows you to reach into the Earth and pull out that thing that is in your gut. Feel the dirt in your hands, watch the in you plant a garden this year and take a moment to feel the earth, I guarantee you a Baraka moment, and we will be here to help you every step of the way.
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OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES
We are more than just a retail greenhouse. We are committed to your healthy garden and healthy lifestyle. We demonstrate this through our environmental commitments, our dedication to growing plants by hand from seed, and our unique and creative custom order planter program.
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Environmental Commitment
You won’t find bedding plants, trees and shrubs as healthy, bountiful and grown with as much commitment to the environment as Baraka Gardens. Our beneficial insect program ensures natural control of harmful bugs. We also recycle our seed trays and pots (after sanitizing).
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Hand-Grown Plants
About half of our plants are grown from the highest quality seeds right here in the greenhouse. Our dedicated staff begin seeding tens of thousands of seeds in February by hand. This allows us to control the growing environment of each plant, eliminating transportation stress, insect damage and disease.
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Supporting Local
We strive to support other local producers and suppliers. Our seeds, plants, trees and shrubs are sourced from Canadian companies and we work with local retailers to stock the greenhouse with garden supplies, tools, planters and accessories for your garden.
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Spirit of Baraka
We know the joy and satisfaction of gardening brings. We love to work with novice gardeners to get them started on their first growing adventure by providing personalized support and advice. We work with growers at every level to help them get the most out of their growing season so they can experience their own Baraka moment!
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