Green Thumb - 16
Green Thumb - 16
Transcript
00:00 Green Thumb Tuesdays is brought to you courtesy the Agricultural Development Bank.
00:04 Growing stronger together.
00:05 At a time when the pandemic has worsened the rigors of everyday life,
00:20 Stephanie Raffel has found solace in her backyard business.
00:24 I'm out here at six in the morning looking at them, seeing about them,
00:29 seeing who has a problem, if anybody has a problem,
00:31 because you could look at them and know when they have a problem.
00:33 So I am out here very early in the morning.
00:36 Who needs irrigation? Who needs a little water here?
00:38 Somebody need a little fertilizer? And that's that's that's a joy.
00:42 Raffel's love has always been rooted in agricultural science,
00:46 and it's why she furthered her studies in horticulture.
00:50 When I first went to the ADB,
00:53 I started with oligarchiculture.
00:56 I was producing I started producing vegetables,
00:59 and that's that's where I started.
01:02 But I moved into the ornamental.
01:06 So the knowledge is the same.
01:09 The knowledge is the same in how to care for the plants, what what what
01:14 insecticides, all the different pesticides that you would use,
01:18 the fertilizers and all that.
01:19 It's the same. It's the same knowledge.
01:21 Raffel is, however, concerned over the widening gap
01:25 in the agriculture sector and growing disconnect.
01:29 I see that the agriculture sector in this country could could go a long way,
01:34 but we need people who are going to be committed to what they do.
01:37 And we have people who would want to take advantage of technology,
01:42 not the old school agriculture where you're out in the field
01:46 and you're out there all the time.
01:47 You have so many new avenues within the within the system now
01:52 that people could be honest and profitable living doing agriculture.
01:57 And with mental health taking a toll, the landscaper is combining
02:01 horticultural therapy to create beautiful spaces
02:05 that accommodate people with a wide range of abilities.
02:08 These gardens don't just offer fresh produce,
02:12 but also healing and restorative benefits.
02:15 Jesse Ramney, OCNC3 News.
02:18 Green Thumb Tuesdays was brought to you courtesy
02:21 the Agricultural Development Bank.
02:23 Growing stronger together.
02:24 to you courtesy the Agricultural Development Bank. Growing stronger together.