EP5: How to balcony garden and eat fresh every day (with Lara Mrosovsky, Miinikaan)

Summary

In this episode, our guest Lara Mrosovsky (a.k.a. “The Queen of Balcony Gardening”) (Miinikaan) shares tips and tricks for how to grow fresh food on your balcony in the city. She also shares some of the common reasons why people have been more and more interested in growing their own food, plus some great benefits of gardening at home (like gardening therapy!).

Register for Lara’s free webinar, HOW TO BALCONY GARDEN and Eat Fresh Every Day, to learn even more essential tips for how to grow an abundant, tasty harvest in your tiny space. "It's easier than you think!" The webinar goes live Thursday, April 8, 2021 (7 PM EST). Grab your spot here!: https://www.miinikaan.com/webinar

Connect with us on:

• Instagram: @cavaleirofarm
• Facebook: @cavaleirofarm
• Website (Cavaleiro Farm): http://cavaleiro.farm/
• Website (Urban Crops): https://urbancrops.ca/
• Email: antonio@cavaleiro.farm

Please subscribe + leave the podcast a review and 5-star rating if you’re enjoying the show. It’ll help others who want to learn more about how to do farm life better find the podcast!

Connect with Lara Mrosovsky and Miinikaan on:

• Instagram: @miinikaan
• Facebook: @miinikaan
• Website: https://www.miinikaan.com/

Timestamps:

0:45: Introducing Lara’s upcoming free webinar: How to Balcony Garden and Eat Fresh Everyday webinar. Register here to learn Lara's top secrets for how to successfully grow a fresh harvest at home!

2:59: Introducing Lara Mrosovsky, the "Queen of Balcony Gardening," and her business Miniikaan

4:15: Lara’s experience shifting from teaching in-person to online due to the pandemic

5:55: The pros of teaching her first balcony gardening course online last year

6:38: How one of Lara’s participants went from no gardening skills to successfully growing fresh food on her tiny balcony

8:41: Common reasons people want to grow their own food at home (including how the pandemic inspired a lot of folks to think about food and grocery stores differently)

10:20: Lara’s personal motivations for growing her own food, especially in the city

12:02: Lara’s top 3 tips for beginner gardeners

14:30: Bonus tip: What to do if a plant dies...or you make a mistake in gardening...

15:50: Farmer Antonio’s top 3 tips for beginner gardeners

18:20: Bonus tip: What to learn from more experienced gardeners

20:17: Bigger-picture reasons for why people should participate in local food (hint: growing our own food can actually impact the environment)

23:35: Gardening therapy! Plant healing! How growing your own food boosts your mood and brain performance

24:49: How to approach turning your empty balcony into an abundant garden: “It’s easier than you think!”

27:30: What kind of tasty vegetables and herbs are in Lara’s beautiful balcony garden

29:34: Lara’s warning about when to harvest (before the squirrels get at your food first!)

30:49: How gardening in the city can help people bridge the gap between city and farm life

33:27: How building relationships with gardeners and former farmers in the city can teach you how to interact with plants and cultivate your food culture

34:09: The fun of learning different ways to eat the foods you grow

37:20: Wise words: “The hardest thing to grow is your attitude”

38:22: Sign up for Lara’s FREE upcoming webinar (April 8, 2021) to get inspired and excited about starting your own balcony garden! Grab your spot here: https://www.miinikaan.com/webinar

39:43: How to connect with Lara on social media