Byron Cook: growing the foods we eat

Published in MapleLine Magazine: May 5, 2010

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by Mary P. Brooke

If it weren't for deer fencing there might not be much of a garden for herbs at Sooke Harbour House (SHH), says head gardener Byron Cook. In particular he's talking about the new small farm at 1564 Whiffen Spit Road -- up the street from the famed 28-room boutique hotel. "It's cleared and planted and ready to go," says Cook, who set up 7.5-ft. high fencing to keep out the nibbling ongulates who would otherwise make dinner of the veggies and herbs and that make their way to the restaurant kitchen at Sooke Harbour House.

The 1.5-acre leased land has a chicken coop and green houses. Tomatoes, peppers, basil can be grown in the greenhouses, which is delight for the gardener who at the seaside outdoors has been restricted to herbs and vegetables that could grow year-round at the cool seaside of Sooke Harbour House. There's even space for growing squashes and melons now. Daily management of the gardens is handled by Jill Winstanley.

Seeds are kept for replanting. They are saving the seeds from their own lettuce at the garden, to help guarantee a continued supply of certified organic propagation. Nasturtiums will cross-pollinate and need to be left in the ground for 5 months; now there is enough space to accomplish that, said Cook in an interview in April 2010.

"Every plant has an edible part," explains Cook, who has been the SHH gardener for 22 years. "Be it the leaf, flower, root, tuber, stem, fruit or bulb, there is something to savour and be nourished by from each plant," he said, adding that the SHH garden now grows over 300 different varieties of plants and that a master list is in development.

Byron Cook says it's interesting how things survive and self-seed: "It's always surprising and a lot of fun. One time we found lettuce growing in the gravel of one of the pathways around the hotel. Some seeds must have fallen as we carried fresh-picked lettuce from the gardens."

With less staff at SHH due to the economic recession "it's more of a challenge" to run the entire operation, says Cook. The farm at SHH participates in the international WWOOF program (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms), which sees willing workers arrive from all over the world to help grow food in exchange for room and board. Byron Cook can be reached at farm@shh.com .

Always the enthusiastic gardener, Byron offers these tips for people who want to get started with their own gardening: "Start growing stuff. Easy things like carrots, beets, lettuce. Clear a little space and sow the seeds, and you'll be very satisfied with the results." He recommends following the information provided on the seed packets and that growing salad greens is the easiest way to get started. Container gardening is both trendy and practical. He offers a Growing Edible Organic Plants in Containers workshop for $30, including a 3-course lunch, at Sooke Harbour House, 1528 Whiffen Spit Road. Next workshop is Sat. May 29 starting at 10 am (reservations required by May 27). Phone: 250-642-3421 MM

MapleLine Business Centre - Create your own special memorabilia at our store: colour photocopies of your favourite family or garden photos, collected into a spiral-bound mini booklet. Cover design services available. Open Monday through Friday (9 am to 5 pm) and Saturdays (10 am to 2 pm). We're at 6707 West Coast Road, Sooke, BC. Phone: 250-642-7729 or toll-free 1-877-595-6925. info@maplelinebusinesscentre.com

<< Back to the article about edible herbs, as published on page 27 in the print edition of MapleLine Magazine (Summer 2010 issue ~ May-July 2010).