In a garage in Briar Hill, Daniel McAllister knocks the sunflower seed shells off a new batch of sunflower shoots. The shells cover the floor and crunch beneath his feet.

Sunflower shoots go from seed to harvest in just 12 days. Daniel plants seeds in trays of organic soil and places the trays below grow lights. Every day he waters the plants and knocks off the shells as they rise up with the shoots. Once they grow to the desired height, Daniel cuts the greens and packages them in bags. He then delivers the greens to restaurants and markets across the city and province.

Daniel and his wife, Jasmine, began in 2009 to grow sprouts and greens in their home to have nutritious produce for their family. Over the years, they have grown their hobby into a business while growing their family.

“We have a family business, and our business exists within the context of our family,” says Daniel.

Their business is Greenberry. They grow pea and sunflower shoots, buckwheat greens, alfalfa sprouts, garlic sprouts, microgreens, radish sprouts and many other varieties. Their favourite produce are the ones specialized for specific clients – such as graceful pea shoots for garnish or chubby micro-arugula for salads.

Greenberry’s produce is notable for its shelf life and crisp taste. They often harvest and sell the produce on the same day, and their customers have noted how long the sprouts and greens last in the fridge. Even though their produce is small, it is nothing short of flavourful. Daniel is a self-described “mad scientist” with the seeds, soil, light and water, and he notes that the garlic and radish sprouts “exemplify the intensity of the flavour” compared to their fully grown counterparts.

“Chefs come to us and are shocked at the flavour and quality,” comments Jasmine.

In 2009, Daniel and Jasmine started to grow sprouts for their own use because of the nutritional benefits. Microgreens and sprouts contain more nutrients than the full-leaf kinds – some varieties have upwards of 40 times more nutrients.

They decided to try selling their greens full time after Daniel was laid off from his job as a valet manager in September 2013. Their risk paid off – Daniel and Jasmine now grow for a variety of markets and restaurants, all while having time for their family.

Daniel and Jasmine have three children: Eli (4), Noah (3) and Abigail (1). Their business allows them to adapt their work schedule around their family. Daniel sometimes does some work during the day, but he regularly works evenings and regularly goes late into the night. His schedule depends on his plants and clients’ needs.

Daniel and Jasmine have seen their business grow and evolve, but not without many obstacles.

Amidst the busy season of markets last summer, the McAllister’s vehicle broke down. Daniel became adept at packing coolers and tents into a Car2Go. For nearby restaurants, Jasmine dropped off sprouts while out for walks with her kids. They lasted nearly the entire summer without a vehicle.

In January, the family moved into a house just a block down the road from the old one. The move sounds easy, but it was anything but.

“On January 1 we were packing up the last stuff into the trailer with no place to move it to,” says Jasmine.

She explains that they looked for a house for months before their eviction date, but no property worked out. While packing the last boxes, a man walked by drinking a cola and asked where they were moving to.

Daniel told the man that they had no place to go. The man recently purchased a property down the road and said while he was working with a property management agency to find a tenant, he would be happy to rent them the house and forgo an agency.

“It was amazing,” says Jasmine. Not only did Jasmine and Daniel have to find a place for their belongings, they had three kids and their livelihood – live plants.

Since the property only came available a month after they moved out, the man offered them to stay in his basement in Briar Hill. In addition, he offered the use of his garage for their produce.

Greenberry supplies a variety of restaurants including The Coup, Vendome Café, Blue Star Diner, Midtown Kitchen and Bar, D’Vine Diner and Yummi Yogis foodtruck. They sell their produce at a variety of farmers’ markets, including Hillhurst Sunnyside, B
ridgeland, Marda Loop, Okotoks and Symons Valley Ranch. They also supply YYC Growes and Distributers and Canmore Farm Box.

As their business grows, they hope to “keep pushing core values,” which include nutrition, family and fairness to anyone that works with them. Jasmine says that they will use their business to not only enrich their children, but also their community.

“We want to continue with a family-style business and support the people around us.”

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(Photos by Jeff Wiehler)

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SAIT Polytechnic is more than just a place to learn, it is also a desirable place to work.

For the fifth time in six years, SAIT was selected as one of Alberta’s Top 70 Employers by Mediacorp Canada because of its commitments to retirement planning, training programs, tuition subsidies, and access to on-site amenities.

“SAIT really allows me to follow my passion,” said Paul Norris, instructor of architectural technologies.

“That’s not a cliché.”

Norris has worked at SAIT for seven years and has led architectural study tours in Chicago, New York, and even as far as Europe. This combines two of his passions: architecture and travelling.

Another passion is teaching.

“It is such a rush to hang out and talk about architecture,” said Norris.

Aside from working at SAIT, Norris runs an architecture business and applies real-life projects to his assignments. This gives students projects that are “way more relevant” than textbook activities.

“I don’t just give my students assignments, we talk about real-world issues.”

Norris appreciates a flexible work schedule and plenty of vacation days so he can spend more time with his family. Working on a college campus also surrounds him with enthusiastic learners.

SAIT has around 2,500 employees and the average employee age is 47.

Brandie Yarish, director of employee services at SAIT, said that being selected as a Top 70 Employer allows SAIT “to attract and retain top talent.”

“Great people want to work for great employers,” said Yarish.

SAIT’s identity as a polytechnic offers employees a work culture that balances practical instruction with academic education. Employees work in an organization that is more than bottom-line focused.

“It is work that gratifies the soul,” said Yarish.

For Sonya Maloff, sheet metal instructor, teaching at SAIT provides an opportunity to “make a difference.”

Maloff, who graduated from SAIT in 2010, focuses on getting more women in the trades and is a mentor to several female students.

Less than 5 per cent of sheet metal students are female.

During her time as a student, Maloff was drawn to working for SAIT after an instructor encouraged her to consider teaching.

“I thought, ‘I would love to be an instructor for SAIT.’”

Benefits that SAIT offers its employees include more vacation days to improve work and life balance and the option for a sabbatical year after working four years.

There is a community group for retirees called SAIT Alive that connects previous employees and offers reduced membership rates for the library and athletic facilities.

Another perk for SAIT Alive members is free on-campus parking.

Employees can also become students.

SAIT offers on-campus education opportunities, including free continuing education courses if the classes are not full.

Jaime Eschyshyn is the travel coordinator for the SAIT Trojans and is currently taking marketing courses outside of work.

Eschyshyn is hoping to take advantage of SAIT’s professional certification enhancement program in the future.

The program offers tuition subsidies of $10,000 towards a certificate or undergraduate degree and $20,000 towards a doctorate.

SAIT encourages employees to acknowledge each other’s accomplishments through various employee awards.

“I am trying for one this year,” said Eschyshyn, who has worked at SAIT for eight years.

To Eschyshyn, the community of coworkers at SAIT is “like a family.”

Other institutions selected as an Alberta Top 70 Employer this year include the University of Calgary and NAIT.

From the Weal, March 9, 2015

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