Gardening Panel
Carmen McKee,
wife, mother of three adult sons, and grandmother to three healthy, happy and adorable grandchildren is a commercial gourmet garlic and honey FarmHer of three years; a hospital Chaplain of 20 years; an Educator of 25 years; and Author of several booklets. She currently resides and grows in the beautiful city of Gary, Indiana.
Carmen is the manager and curator behind Oases Botanic Gardens, a themed agritourism healing space that features edible flowers, herbs, gourmet garlic, and agriculture related educational opportunities.
Carmen's conservation practices include native and pollinator plantings, an apiary, cover crops, crop rotation and on-site composting. The highlight of her third year of farming, June 2024, was the installation of a high tunnel to begin specialty crop growing for a FarmHer-to-Mama Initative.
Carmen's advice for doing life well: Build community -not just farmers -beyond coworkers. Be intentional to not just join a group, but to do the work to nurture and to sustain humanity. "For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field (farming), God's building." - 1 Cor. 3:9