Shannon McInnis, a first-generation Canadian, came to gardening and organic agriculture honestly.聽 Growing up outside of Barrie, Ontario, her grandfather, a sugar cane farmer in Barbados, relied on his learned knowledge and thought processes of how to garden organically before it became a mainstream concept.
鈥淚 grew up in the country,鈥� says Shannon.聽 鈥淢y family owned 10 acres of land, using half an acre for vegetables. My grandfather grew everything you could think of in that small garden. He never used chemicals, or anything unnatural for any of his plants.
鈥淚 remember as a child the sheer volume of vegetables, fruits and herbs he would harvest in that garden. He would feed our family of six on fresh vegetables from June to September from that small garden! Everything that was left over, we would preserve through canning and freezing.鈥�
Shannon, one of the first in her family to attend university, has an arts degree in Political Science and her master鈥檚s in War Studies but always felt like something was missing.
鈥淚 missed my connection to the earth and nature. I found myself constantly growing things. I always had a garden packed with flowers, vegetables, herbs and fruits.聽 I noticed how different food tasted when you grew it yourself.聽 I began to become more mindful of where my food came from and how it was grown.鈥�
Finding her calling
Eventually, Shannon began seeding all her own vegetable cultivars, searching for heirloom and organic breeds that would produce great yield and were sustainable.
鈥淎bout six years ago, I ended up having almost 40 lbs in tomatoes from a very small garden. I found myself wondering if this was my natural calling. If this awesome hobby could become a future dream and if my ambition and motivation could help me discover if this could be a business plan for the future?鈥�
Shannon knew if she were to pursue her dream, she needed the right education behind her and applied to 国民彩票 for the Certificate of Specialization in Organic Agriculture. 聽
This program provides a head start on a degree and gives learners chance to specialize in the expanding area of organic agriculture. Courses can range from electives to core classes when transferring credits into other programs. There are also opportunities for self-employment on smaller farms that might not be profitable under conventional production.
鈥淪ince I am a full-time employee, flexibility is key,鈥� says Shannon. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 have the ability to take live classes consistently. The online platform has always been a great learning tool for me because I am able to take my classes at my own pace and when I have time. There are some days when I will start studying for my course at 4 a.m., so that I can be at work for 8 a.m. I have also found that learning from the comfort of my own home allows me to be more curious and inspired.鈥�
Building her orchard
Shannon and her husband purchased their dream country home just over a year ago and before the kitchen was unpacked, she had planted her first 40 apple trees and a pollinator garden.
鈥淚vy Orchard was born earlier this year,鈥� explained Shannon.聽 鈥淚 found myself in love with this name after recent trips to Scotland and Ireland.鈥�
Of Celtic descent, Shannon wanted her orchard