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NICHE ORGANIC GARDENS
Creating Custom Backyard Gardens
by Suzie Agrillo
During Ashlie Thompson’s childhood, her mother, grandmothers and greatgrandmothers had gardens that she would tend. When she was a teenager, she had a vision of owning and operating an orphanage in Africa that was self-sustained farmland. This vision culminated in her pursuit of a degree in Non-Profit Management. As Thompson finished her coursework at Arizona State University, she decided she needed to fully understand how to grow food for the orphanage.
As a result, Thompson pursued and received a Bachelor of Science from the University of Arizona in Agronomy, with an emphasis on crop production. After graduation, she worked for one of the top grass seed companies in the U.S., only to become overwhelmed with disgust due to their practice of spraying harmful pesticides. With her upbringing, education and experience, it only seems natural that Thompson would gravitate to open a company with the goal of creating and maintaining gardens using natural and safe techniques.
While her dream of owning and operating an orphanage has not yet been realized, she espouses the concept that school gardens can be an amazing contribution to the educational system. She advocates utilizing school gardens to teach concepts such as photosynthesis, as well as hands-on education in the garden to learn what it takes to produce healthy food. A school garden can help our children develop into the next generation of conscious eaters and environmentalists.
With Niche Organic Gardens, Thompson’s business objective is to provide a very personal service for the home or business, with a traditional gardener who prides herself on using the most efficient practices, while prioritizing our health. Finally, she gives nutrients to the soil so it may, in turn, enrich our lives for decades to come.
Thompson uses her gardening expertise to turn clients’ wishful thinking into a healthy, thriving garden.
Q & A with Ashlie Thompson
Do you have a personal philosophy that made you enthusiastic about organic gardening?
I’ve never enjoyed the thought of chemicals used on the food I ate. I’ve been a strong believer in organic food since understanding the term as a teenager. In my undergraduate studies and after graduating, I had internships and jobs that required me to spray chemicals. I would wear masks, hold my breath, change my clothes afterward—until I decided enough was enough. My eldest daughter was a newborn and I decided to find my own path with organic agriculture. Niche Organic was what I came up with!
What was the genesis of your business, Niche Organic Gardens?
I started with Niche Organic Landscapes, in which I took care of clients’ landscapes using organic practices. I thought I needed
to cut grass and trim bushes to get my foot in the door to hopefully take care of their vegetable gardens, my true passion. After months of negotiating with myself to get out of bed each morning to cut grass, I decided to change the current lucrative business into exactly what I wanted to do: tend fruits and veggies. I transformed Niche Organic Landscapes into Niche Organic Gardens in February of 2019 when I was six months pregnant with our third child, and I haven’t looked back.
Tell us about the process of installing an organic garden at a client’s home.
The process starts with me coming to the client’s home to help them find an excellent location for the garden. We also discuss design options and I quote out their vision. Our team then comes with their large trailer packed with garden beds, soil, irrigation supplies, plants and seeds. The installations are completed within the day (usually). We go from a blank canvas to a fully functioning and planted garden within hours. From there, most of our clients opt in for our maintenance program. Our gardeners come out every two weeks to take care of the gardens. From pruning to harvesting, we do all that’s needed to have a thriving ecosystem within each garden space.
Is it best to plant in containers, raised garden beds or in the ground?
All are equally great! There are pros and cons to each, but I’ve been able to successfully grow gardens in containers, raised beds and within the ground.
What are the easiest vegetables to grow for beginning gardeners?
Spring/Summer: zucchini, peppers, basil, eggplant, sunflowers and okra Fall/Winter: spinach, broccoli, lettuce, radish, beets and carrots
What are your tips for planting in the desert climate?
Have the garden set up on irrigation, use the best organic soil you can find and the sun is your friend when you are growing the right crops within the right season.
How does organic farming deal with insects and plant diseases?
Organic farming has options when it comes to dealing with insects and plant diseases. Three options that we use are beneficial insects, beneficial plants/flowers and organic sprays such as neem oil.
Do you have any original recipes for people to make after the harvest?
I have many. My mother is a great cook; she taught me well. My children love when I make steamed Brussels sprouts with a little salt and olive oil to finish. We also love roasting a combination of golden beets, carrots and Brussels sprouts.
What is your favorite quote or motto?
The worst someone can say is no, so I might as well take the chance!
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Now is the perfect time of the year to start or revamp a garden. I prefer that all of my gardens be planted by May 1st at the absolute latest. Arizona gardening can be tough for a beginner, but it’s more than possible to grow a bounty all year-round.
Connect with Ashlie Thompson at 602577-7017, NicheOrganicGardens@gmail. com or NicheOrganicGardens.com.
Suzie Agrillo is a freelance writer in Tucson, and frequent contributor to Natural Awakenings Magazine. She focuses on writing about the arts, inspirational people and the human connection. Connect at Suzie@ComedyForCharity.org.
Plant-Based Foods Go Mainstream
Healthy Eating Gets Easier with Innovations
by Carrie Jackson
Plant-based eating has seen an explosion in the past few years as consumers become increasingly aware of how their food choices impact their health and the environment and align with their ethics. According to market research firm SPINS, plant-based eating is now a $7 billion market in the U.S., with $1.4 billion represented by plant-based meat. Consumers can now expect to see veggie burgers at the ballpark, vegan dairy at the cafe, tuna substitutes in every grocery store and a plantbased entrée at Michelin-starred restaurants.
Whether vegetarian, vegan or flexitarian, almost 40 percent of Americans are shifting to a plant-based diet, according to a 2018 Nielsen report. While a plant-based diet supplies essential nutrients and reduces the risk for some cancers, consumers now rank the health of the planet as their number one concern, overtaking personal health, which has been the top priority in recent years, according to market researcher Innova Market Insights. Such an eating regimen can lead to a more sustainable use of resources, combat climate change and help preserve biodiversity. According to a University of Illinois study published in the journal Nature Food, animal agriculture is responsible for 57 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions from food production, which accounts for 35 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions.
Plant-Based Companies Align with Values
Elysabeth Alfano, the founder of Plant Powered Consulting, sees a plant-based diet becoming a lifestyle as consumers demand a broader range of options. “It’s becoming increasingly normal to find plant-based foods and meat alternatives in every grocery store. Oat yogurt, seafood alternatives and vegan honey are now mainstream. People are seeing how inefficient and harmful meat production is and are making the connection between saving the environment and their lifestyle choices,” she says.
Alfano is also the co-founder and CEO of VegTech Invest, an investment management firm that is the first global exchange-traded fund of plant-based companies; it launched January 4 on the New York Stock Exchange, comprising 37 publicly traded companies actively innovating with plants and plantderived ingredients, and producing products that are animal-free. “We believe that today’s investors want a more resource-efficient, climate-friendly and cruelty-free food and materials supply system, and want to invest their dollars in the same,” says Alfano.
Dairy and Seafood Alternatives Abound
In the grocery store, it’s never been easier to shop for plant-based options. Companies are getting creative and optimizing products that stand on their own merits, instead of just mimicking meat, fish and dairy. With alternatives such as oat, almond and even potato milk touting sustainable credentials, as well as a creamy texture, plant-based dairy is having a surge.
Sales in the plant-based seafood sector grew 23 percent from 2019 to 2020 according to market data from The Good Food Institute. Nestlé recently launched Vuna, a vegan tuna alternative made of pea protein, wheat gluten, rapeseed oil, salt and a flavor blend, and other companies are jumping on board as consumers are becoming more aware of the seafood industry’s environmental problems, particularly overfishing. While a handful are specializing in proteins derived from fermentation and others are developing lab-grown seafood, most are focusing on plant-based products. Due to their fibrous consistency, jackfruit and yam root are ideal fish alternatives for fillets and sticks. Vegan fish stock, as well as plant-based scampi and king prawns,
can be found in vegan grocery stores and such online shops as ShopVejii.com and GTFOItsVegan.com.
Mushrooms Become a PlantBased Superfood
Mushrooms are having a heyday due to their versatility, and companies are harnessing them as a source of fiber, protein and antioxidants. Meati.com is a Boulderbased startup that uses mycelium, the root structure of mushrooms, to create a whole-cut product that offers the protein of animal meat with the nutrients of fungi. “We believe that systemic change can start with people replacing animal meat even a couple of times a week. Eating Meati chicken or steak shouldn’t feel like a huge departure from animal products, and the nutrition offered is superior to any food out there,” says Christina Ra, vice president of marketing and communications. “People can enjoy eating Meati and feel great about how they’re nourishing their bodies.”
With $50 million in recent venture capital funding, the company is building an 80,000-square-foot production facility and plans to start selling its substitute chicken and beef in national markets later this year.
Meati has drawn on ancient, natural processes to grow clean, sustainable sources of nutrition. “Mycelium is an infinite, self-replenishing food source. Made from a closed-loop system, Meati uses less than 1 percent of the water and land needed for animal meat production,” says Ra. The company grows and harvests the mycelium indoors in stainless steel fermentation tanks using only water, sugar and nutrients. Unlike the animal agriculture industry, no antibiotics, growth hormones or pesticides are used.
Vegan Coaching and Delivery Make It Easy
For people that aren’t ready to experiment with plant-based cooking themselves, vegan and vegetarian meal-delivery services are popping up. One such program is Plantable.com, founded by Nadja Pinnavaia and designed to give clients the tools to transition into a plant-based
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lifestyle. Customers sign up online for either a seven- or 28-day program that includes daily shipped meals, one-on-one counseling through phone calls and texts, and lifestyle recommendations to form new habits. “Our goal is to make plantbased eating so tasty and effortless that it becomes a way of life,” Pinnavaia explains.
She says the idea behind Plantable, which is based in New York, but will ship anywhere in the country, is to make plantbased eating less of a barrier for people. “Most of our clients are either looking to kickstart a new lifestyle and don’t know how to begin, or they are busy and want the ease of prepared meals made from scratch with real, clean ingredients. Our menu is a whole-food, plant-based way of eating that is filled with fiber and packed with nutrients. We focus on legumes, tofu and nuts as sources of protein,” she says.
Pinnavaia, who holds a Ph.D. in quantum chemistry, became interested in food and nutrition after having too many family members diagnosed with cancers. Since launching Plantable in 2016, she has observed more clients coming in on their doctor’s recommendation. “We’re seeing a shift towards more consumer-driven health care, where doctors are understanding that meal planning and nutrition are critical to overall health. The community in general is also taking more ownership of their own health and gaining more knowledge of the benefits of a plant-based diet,” she says.
Eating Out Gets Healthier
For people dining out, there is no shortage of plant-based options, and that goes beyond a salad and fries. Eleven Madison Park, in New York City, is the first vegan restaurant to receive a Michelin star. Even fast-food chains are getting on board, with McDonald’s introducing the McPlant burger and KFC debuting a Beyond Chicken made of soy and wheat.
Joe Hehl, the founder of Dragged Through the Garden, a Chicago-based company that consults with restaurants and breweries looking to expand vegan options, has seen an uptick in interest. “Adding a plant-based option or two on the menu can absolutely set some new eyes on a restaurant’s operation. Now this place will show up in searches for ‘restaurants with vegan options’ and appeal to an audience who potentially wouldn’t have eaten there otherwise. Plus, it’s not supercostly on the bottom line,” he explains.
He adds that the availability of meat substitutes on a menu, such as an Impossible Burger, makes it easy for people trying to cut down on their meat intake. “Mainstream substitutes are a little more accessible than something like a bowl of quinoa to someone who is not vegan. This new era of plant-based burgers offers an alternative for those who want to wind down their meat intake, but are unsure how to start,” he says.
Hehl also offers clients recipes and guides for recreating vegan versions of traditional fast food and kitsch menus. Past recipes have included a Vegan Philly Cheesesteak and the Vegan Chorizo Sloppy Joe, for which he offers step-by-step instructions and encourages followers to have fun and experiment with ingredients such as oat milk. “I grew up in a very meat-andpotatoes household and had no knowledge of cooking whatsoever. As I learned about some of the benefits of a plant-based diet, I decided to embrace it as a challenge to myself,” he says. “My favorite plant-based ingredients to use are garlic powder and smoked paprika! Some people are eating plant-based ingredients without even realizing it.”
Consumers have no shortage of options as plant-based eating and lifestyle choices continue to go mainstream. Companies are meeting the demand with creative, sustainable products and services that are better for the planet, healthier for the body and allow people to align their values with their purchases. As the interest increases, new innovations are likely to explode on the scene and the plant-based followers are ready.
Carrie Jackson is an Evanston, IL-based freelance writer and frequent contributor to Natural Awakenings. Connect at CarrieJacksonWrites.com.
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