GreenDreams, a new company in the Odessa community of Pasco County just north of Tampa, is promoting organic gardening and eating at home. The owners of the company, Peter and Melissa Kanaris, encourage people to duplicate the 1930's tradition of creating "victory gardens,'' where organic food is grown in your backyard.
“We were inspired to start GreenDreams, because of the high price and limitation of fresh, organic produce in Pasco County,” says Peter Kanaris, owner of GreenDreams: A Sustainable Solutions Company. "We also noticed that among the general community, there was a lack of education on the importance of healthy eating and avoiding chemicals.''
Before starting this business, Peter says he examined the way his own family was eating. He noted that there was a large amount of genetically modified food in their food supply and sought ways to change it.
"Having a family with a small child, we became even more conscious of the way our food is grown and we were compelled to share our knowledge with others,” Kanaris says.
In order to help locals start growing their own gardens,
GreenDreams has a retail store in Odessa that sells organic fertilizers, seeds, books, edible trees and garden beds. Weekly classes are also offered at the store to educate individuals on gardening.
"Our goal with opening up this business is to create a more self-sufficient and sustainable community with hopes of improving our local economy,” Kanaris says. "There are so many people who are unemployed or underemployed in the Pasco area. Many of these people are living on government assistance or on the brink of going hungry. With the right amount of knowledge and a small amount of inexpensive or free materials, anyone can grow their own food.”
Writer:
Kimberly Patterson
Source: Peter Kanaris, GreenDreams
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