Jennifer Eppolito has always found joy in the garden. But this year when the Pennsylvania resident put seeds into the ground and watched them grow, she says it was one of the few activities that kept her grounded amid the chaotic events of the pandemic.
Photo by Jennifer Eppolito
Eppolito, who works as an education horticulturist at Saint Vincent College’s Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve, found herself shuttered indoors in March once stay at home orders were implemented. During that time, she says she was struck by shameless panic buying and unravelling of the food supply chain. But instead of rushing to the grocery store, Eppolito opted to give her garden some extra attention and scaled up on the number of crops she would usually harvest.
“It’s really clear that we cannot depend on our government to feed us or feed us safely anymore,” she says. “Being able to control where the food I need to eat comes from is just super empowering to me. We have to know how to grow food for ourselves and it’s such a simple thing that we can do.”
At home, Eppolito grows everything from recognizable varieties like tomatoes and cucumbers to lesser-known plants like camelina, wild broccoli and shisho. Everything that has been cultivated in her 400 square foot bed has kept her family well fed and re-enforced the value of knowing where their food comes from.
In September, Eppolito was finally able to return back to work. She’s spent her time maintaining the facility’s six gardens, but has also started offering virtual workshops and quick gardening tips on the nature reserve’s social media. Despite the fact that everything is remote for the time being, she says the past few months have made her realize how important it is for her to share her knowledge. By helping others get their start in the garden she says she’ll be making the world a better place no matter how big or small their food-growing journey is.
Do you have a gardening story to tell, or a great photograph to share? Tag us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, or by old fashioned email for a chance to be featured in our newsletter and win a great t-shirt. The submission deadline is Monday at midnight – more details and complete rules can be found here.