Gardening: Interview With The Owner of Sunny Kpor LLC

After wrapping up his fifth year of managing a small vegetable garden in the backyard of his residential property, the owner of Sunny Kpor LLC reflected on the importance of organic foods, the agriculture industry and sharing the fruits of his labor with his community.

Q: When did you first start growing a vegetable garden and what prompted you to do so? A: At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, my wife and I were worried about whether the food supply chain would be severely impacted by the government shutdowns. So, we cleared two existing in-ground garden beds in our backyard, purchased a variety pack of garden seeds, and started learning how to grow our own food. Although we quickly learned that the disruptions to the food supply chain would not be as severe as we anticipated, the moment we tasted homegrown tomatoes picked the same day, we were hooked! We knew that we would continue growing a vegetable garden for years to come!

Q: What did you all plant that first year? Have you changed which vegetables you grow each year?

A: That first year, we were very ambitious, but we did not have much space because we didn't have any raised beds at that time yet. Honestly, we had no idea that the seeds would actually grow that first year. We were simply trying to learn how to grow vegetables in case we needed to rely on those skills out of necessity. As the seeds germinated and the plants shockingly started to take over the backyard, we were astonished! We planted cucumbers that climbed across the fence in our backyard, celery, tomatoes, green onions, carrots, collard greens and a few other vegetables. The taste of the vegetables was indescribably delicious! In the years that followed, we purchased raised garden beds and have grown pumpkins, eggplant, basil, bell peppers, corn, parsley, green beans, broccoli, and green peas.

Q: What do you do with all of the vegetables and herbs that you grow?

A: As the vegetables ripen, we literally bring the vegetables and herbs from our backyard to our kitchen counter. We have made West African pumpkin stew, Asian stir frys, carrot soup, pesto pasta, cucumber salads, dill pickles, tomato sauce, and more with the items we've harvested from our backyard. Sometimes we have way more vegetables ready for harvest than we can possibly consume on our own. For example, when we came back from vacation in July, there were about 20 cucumbers ready to be picked. When that happens, we share vegetables with our neighbors, co-workers, and others in our local community.

Q: Is there any vegetable or plant that has been difficult to grow in your urban garden?

A: Yes, indeed. We have tried to grow watermelon to harvest every single year for five years in a row to no avail! This year, we finally grew one sugar baby watermelon to its full size but we harvested it about two weeks too early. So, when we broke it open, the flesh of the fruit smelled heavenly, but it was light pink and white. It hadn't finished ripening yet. If we had more space in our backyard, I'm confident that we could grow watermelons to harvest. We won't give up!

Q: Has growing an urban garden given you a greater appreciation for farmers and the agricultural industry?

A: Absolutely. This past October was one of the driest Octobers on record in the City of Chicago. As a result, it was tricky to keep our garden well-watered. Farmers are very dependent on weather, which is completely beyond their control. From droughts to early or late frosts, and floods to violent winds, there are so many weather-related events that can completely destroy a farmer's harvest. Growing a vegetable garden has definitely given me a greater appreciation for farmers!

Q: Has growing a vegetable garden had a meaningful impact on your life?

A: I have learned that vegetable gardens do not merely provide a food source, they are therapeutic beacons of hope, patience, and abundance. Gardening is a great exercise, and it gives me another reason to be outside in the sun, which I enjoy. Plus, there is nothing like eating food that you've grown with your bare hands. Maybe that's yet another reason why our homegrown vegetables taste so good. They're grown with love!