{"id":405269,"date":"2025-07-05T08:54:12","date_gmt":"2025-07-05T15:54:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/seewhatgrows.org\/?p=405269"},"modified":"2025-07-27T11:35:46","modified_gmt":"2025-07-27T18:35:46","slug":"growing-local-roots-how-natural-health-retailers-are-helping-school-youth-gardens-thrive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/seewhatgrows.org\/fr\/growing-local-roots-how-natural-health-retailers-are-helping-school-youth-gardens-thrive\/","title":{"rendered":"D\u00e9velopper des racines locales : comment les d\u00e9taillants de produits de sant\u00e9 naturels aident les jardins scolaires et de jeunesse \u00e0 prosp\u00e9rer"},"content":{"rendered":"

D\u00e9velopper des racines locales : comment les d\u00e9taillants de produits de sant\u00e9 naturels aident les jardins scolaires et de jeunesse \u00e0 prosp\u00e9rer<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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What do a school principal, a youth centre, and two passionate business owners have in common? A belief that real change starts in the garden<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Across Canada, school and youth garden programs supported by local natural health retailers are planting the seeds of lifelong wellness, food literacy, and community connection. These gardens are more than just green spaces\u2014they\u2019re outdoor classrooms, nutrition labs, and community hubs rolled into one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And behind many of them are natural health retailers who have made long-term investments in their communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A School Garden with Staying Power: Jason\u2019s Story<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Carissa Gracey (previous teacher at Port Weller School, ON), Katie Wood, teacher, Port Weller School, ON and Jason Sebeslav, owner The Peanut Mill Natural Foods Market<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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For Jason Sebeslav<\/strong>, the natural health store owner of The Peanut Mill Natural Foods Market, supporting a local school garden just made sense\u2014especially as his own kids were entering elementary school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe idea of kids getting their hands dirty while learning to grow and harvest their own food was incredibly inspiring,\u201d says Jason. \u201cIt aligned perfectly with how we see our role in promoting wellness through our store.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The partnership began with a progressive principal and a passionate teacher. Fast forward eight years, and Jason’s store still supports the garden annually\u2014funding tools, maintenance, and even special harvest lunches hosted by the students themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe pride on those kids\u2019 faces when they show off their garden and serve meals they made\u2014it\u2019s heartwarming. That\u2019s the real return on investment.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jason’s experience shows how natural health retailers can become catalysts for hands-on learning, environmental education, and a stronger sense of community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Youth Food Education in Action: Dena\u2019s Community Garden Model<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Aside from her busy schedule at city hall, Dena Comley is very much the face of The Granary Bulk & Natural Foods.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In another part of the country, business owner Dena Comley, <\/strong> The Granary Bulk & Natural Foods & Municipal Councillor, Carleton Place, ON brought her passion for connecting people to food into a completely different space\u2014a local youth centre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe had just secured a new commercial kitchen to grow our Kidz in the Kitchen program,\u201d she explains. \u201cAdding gardening into the mix worked perfectly with our goal to teach youth about nutrition, food production, and cooking.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

With initial funding from the Plant a Seed Foundation, the youth centre built a thriving garden. Today, it continues to serve two purposes: providing ingredients for cooking programs and donating produce to the local food bank.\u201cThe startup money was key. With a few years of financial support, we were able to set up for continued success,\u201d<\/em> Dena says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Kids at the Carlton Place Youth Centre work in their community garden. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This model shows how natural health retailers can play a pivotal role in youth engagement<\/strong>, community food access<\/strong>, et hands-on sustainable food education<\/strong>\u2014all while staying true to their brand values.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Why Gardens Make Sense for Natural Health Retailers<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Retailers like Jason and Dena aren\u2019t just giving back\u2014they\u2019re reinforcing their core business values in powerful, tangible ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Garden programs support:<\/p>\n\n\n\n