Coral Springs gardener helps local and African organizations

Coral Springs, Florida – At Coral Springs Community Garden, Antoinette Rogers sees gardening as a means of nourishing not only the earth but also people’s lives locally and globally.

Rogers, 48, has lived in Coral Springs for a long time and has made it her mission to help others by sharing her harvest and knowledge with those in need. She has helped communities grow their own sustainable food in five African countries, from local schools and STEM programs to hurricane recovery efforts and orphanages.

Rogers, who has been vegan for more than 20 years and grows almost all of the food her family consumes, stated, “I want to give kids and families the tools to grow their own food.”

“It’s about knowing where your food comes from, being healthy, and being self-sustainable,” she said.

Growing up in a farming family in South Carolina, Rogers’ interest in gardening started at a young age.

She claimed that her four children, including her 9-year-old daughter who follows her vegan diet, had inherited her strong regard for the land from their upbringing.

For more than three years, Rogers has been a volunteer at the Coral Springs Community Garden, which is managed by the Rotary Club of Coral Springs with assistance from city employees. Rogers began by contributing seeds and helping with cleanup.

She now looks after her own allotment, growing anything from sweet potatoes and strawberries to zucchini and basil.

Her gardening at home includes her own compost system and balcony plants.

Additionally, Rogers utilizes her garden as a teaching tool, demonstrating to others how to make meals from scratch without the use of pesticides or herbicides.

She turns her produce into soups, stews, and other dishes for her family and others, concentrating on nutrient-dense crops like sweet potatoes, black-eyed peas, and alfalfa.

According to her, “nature is therapy.” “We will thrive if we care for ourselves as we would a plant.”

Rogers said she finds peace in the process, whether it’s tending to her balcony plants, producing herbs for her daughter’s “pizza garden,” or donating cucumbers to school programs. “The greatest wealth is health,” she declared.