Meet Katie, she grew up in Lacombe, Alberta but moved to Kelowna four years ago. Katie owns SweetPea Flowery in Winfield. She spends her days nursing both her community and the fields of flowers at her farm.
Who is your favourite person to spend time with and why?
My grandmother. We live in different provinces so I cherish the moments I get to spend with her. She's the coolest grandma ever and has always been a huge source of support and love in my life.
What is your favourite local store in Kelowna and why?
One Big Table Shop because they are everything I believe in a grocery store and they carry Karat Chocolate which is the best Chocolate in town. Buying local is important to me.
Describe yourself in one word.
Dedicated
If you could go anywhere in the world right at this moment where would you go and why?
If I thought talking to Trump about his concentration camps would make a difference I would go to the White House but you can't be reasonable with an irrational person. Take me to the cages so I can try to help console those crying babies.
What is your favourite activity in Kelowna?
There are so many fun things to do in this town but one that I've been really enjoying as of late is Wednesday mornings with November Project Kelowna.
What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you?
Let's keep this PG 13.
What is the most inspiring thing that has happened to you?
A few years ago I had the opportunity to canoe from Metlakatla B.C. to Metlakatla Alaska with kids and elders from different coastal communities. It was the first time canoes had landed in Metlakala Alaska in a very very long time and it was so inspiring to be a part of such a monumental week.
Tell us your favourite childhood memory.
My grandparents had an amazing vegetable garden and I used to love going to visit and walk through the rows eating peas and raspberries until grandma would call us in for a more formal dinner. As a kid, I didn't really appreciate the amount of work that goes into growing food and processing a garden that big to last through the winter but I get it now and I think of my grandpa every time I pick peas.
Where do you volunteer or give back to in the community?
When I am not working on the farm, I am working as nurse so I really don't have much other free time to "volunteer." When I was in nursing school I always wanted to go volunteer in less developed countries. I met an outpost nurse who had done a lot of volunteering overseas and she told me that I didn't need to go overseas because there were communities here in Canada that desperately needed nurses and that she did the same kind of work overseas as she did here. I didn't really believe her until I starting working in remote communities. It's actually pretty good in B.C. but people need to be more cognizant of the fact that we have Canadians living in conditions that would rival most developing countries... And it's really cold here. For the last eight years, I have left my home and family to provide care in a handful of tiny places no one has ever heard of. It sounds altruistic but the truth is that the First Nation's villages I practice in have taught me what real community is and have given me things far more valuable than I will ever be able to give back to them.
If you could change one thing in the world what would it be?
I would get rid of borders so we would have to face the fact that we are all actually on this earth together and need to work together to keep it hospitable.
Where would you sneak away to in Kelowna to spend some time alone?
Kathleen Lake. It took me three years to find this little gem and now it's one of the places I go to find solace
Where would you like to see positive change in Kelowna and why?
One of the things that drives me absolutely crazy is when I go into a grocery store in the middle of the summer and the produce aisle is full of fruits, vegetables and flowers imported from the states or overseas when we live in the Tuscany of Canada. We have a valley of growers who could be stocking those shelves. I don't fully understand why this is the case but it is incredibly wasteful and resource intensive to be shipping produce from so far away when it is all right here. I am grateful for the local farm markets and shops like One Big Table who source as locally as possible.
What do you think makes Kelowna great?
We live in paradise, we are so close to endless outdoor activities like skiing, swimming, hiking and biking. Our climate is incredible in the summer and the winter, and plants grow like crazy here.
What are 3 things on your bucket list?
Tell us something that not everyone may know about you.
I love rock climbing. I stopped for a while because I developed a fear of heights and moved where there was nowhere to climb but I am getting back into it now again and it feels so good!
How do people connect with you, personally, through social media? (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc.)
@sweetpeaflowery is my handle on Instagram and Facebook. I'm on twitter but not much of a tweeter.
What is the name of your business/organization?
Sweet Pea Flowery
Why did you get into/start this business?
Flowers bring people joy and I think we need more joy in our lives. Local flowers are fresher, smell better and usually last longer.
What is the goal of your business?
Ultimately, it makes me happy to bring people joy and while food feeds the body, flowers are food for the soul.
What has been your biggest struggle either at work or in life?
Hands down the biggest struggle is not burning myself out. Growing is enough on its own but doing all the other activities that I need to do as a business owner is often overwhelming.
If you could start all over again would you do things the same or would things be different?
Overall I wouldn't change what I've done in my life but if I had the chance to start my farm over again I would definitely do some things differently. Flower farming is not for the faint of heart.
What do you always find yourself saying?
I'm tired.
Tell us your best piece of life advice.
People often ask how long a flower will last as though longer is always better. How long are you going to last? Some of the best flowers fade in a few days and I think they are a practice of enjoying life in the moment. You may not have tomorrow.
If you could spend one whole day with anyone in the world who is currently alive, who would you select?
My family.
Why do you think it is important to shop locally?
Shopping locally fosters community and creates a more stable and connected life. We need each other and we need to support one another.
What has been your proudest accomplishment?
Paying off my hefty student loan? Saving peoples lives? Starting my own business? I don't know.
Give someone you think that deserves it a shout out and explain why!
Nikki at the Green Vanity for opening a shop that I can go into and not have to read the labels because all of the skin care products in her shop are toxin and cruelty-free.
My choice for the KelownaNow In Focus spotlight is:
Jordan Marr from Unearthed Farm
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