Grab your basket, sun hat, and Crocs, it’s harvest time! Apples, cucumbers, and asparagus are a few favorites of local gardener and curator of the Little Seaside Farm Instagram handle, Greta Harrison. You don’t need sprawling acres of land to start your own farm, a small porch or balcony and a little creativity can produce tasty, nutritious food even your kids can enjoy. “We live in an amazing climate that allows you to grow year-round” Greta points to as part of her inspiration to garden. “The key is finding something you enjoy eating.”

 

A product designer by trade, Greta has turned to gardening as an outlet for work-related stress, but her passion for growing her own food started as a child. In fact, her grandmother was a Master Gardener, a title given after intensive horticultural training and volunteer work. Watching her grandmother go into her community and teach others to garden was inspirational to Greta as a child and continues to inspire the next generation. Harrison’s children, Heidi and Charles, love to garden and delight in collecting the veggies needed for an informal Crete de Tete plate.

 

“When choosing what to plant I consider what my family loves to eat and what grows well in the current season, but also the structure and height of the plant.” Greta’s design background and eye for aesthetics can be seen in rows of beautifully manicured raised garden boxes sprouting rainbow chard, tomatoes, and tall stems of sunflowers. These photogenic vegetables have over 2,500 followers on Instagram. Social media has allowed Harrison to connect with people around the world sharing gardening tips and inspirational stories. “It’s great to see other people’s seasons” Greata laughs, reflecting on Southern California’s lack of seasonal change. She’s received messages from people as far as Africa, “I feel we all share a primal connection to gardening.”

 

Looking for advice on starting your own garden? Here are some quick tips from Greta Harrison, “I go to Rogers Gardens for all my gardening needs. They only sell organic products, so it makes shopping easy.” Try not to use any insecticides, if you need to give your plants a little protection, use organic products. “I rely on native birds for pest management.” Don’t worry about getting it wrong, Greta admits her farming success came from many lessons learned throughout the seasons. Lastly, get your kids involved, “Watching my kids get excited about spending time outdoors, planting seeds and seeing how things grow is so rewarding.”