[00:00:00] Deanna: Hey, welcome back to the podcast. Today's episode is really special because it is a continuation of a conversation that we started in our last episode. In our last episode, I got to introduce you to one of my favorite people in the world, Shane Kitchen, my husband, and he shared more about what his experience has been with growing and giving flowers, how it's impacted him, what he's got to witness, the effect of giving flowers to people.
[00:00:26] Deanna: Um, and you get to hear a little bit more of our backstory, um, in how we, you know, first met and came to be and goals and hopes and dreams that we had for our family and how Growing Kindness kind of grew out of that. Today, in this episode, which is brand new, we've never done something like this. We've never taken, um, an interview and split it into two episodes, but it just, a- as the conversation unfolded with Shane, we realized that there was, there were so many twists and turns in the story and the conversation that we didn't wanna cut any of it out.
[00:01:02] Deanna: We wanted to bring it all to you. And so that is why today I'm so excited to get to share with you the second half of our conversation. In this, in this part of the conversation, Shane really shares more of his experience getting to be behind the scenes and witnessing and supporting Growing Kindness, um, growing from just this thing that we did in our community to the organization that we are now to becoming a 501[c][3], um, to the, the impact and growth that it has had and where it's at now.
[00:01:35] Deanna : Uh, he shares some, some unexpected surprises, um, and, and really takes you kind of behind the scenes what that process and journey has been like for us as a family. So I'm so excited to bring the second half of this conversation to you today
[00:01:54] Deanna: Okay, so I wanna like kinda z- come, come circle back a little bit to the beginning of the conversation. You know, we kinda talked about, like, our, our story a little bit at the beginning of Growing Kindness. But the crazy thing is, is Growing Kindness was never, like never, ever on either of our radar. I mean, that was not on the bingo card ever.
[00:02:16] Deanna: Like, I think that when we first got married, you know, we, we had had this experience of growing up in really close-knit families. We both gotten to grow up in rural experiences and really close-knit communities, being involved in organizations like 4H, where, like, community service and connection is so key.
[00:02:35] Deanna: And we knew that we wanted, like really deeply wanted those experiences and those values for our kids, and for, like, h- how we wanted our family to move through the world. But Starting a nonprofit organization was definitely not something either of us ever said, like, "Hey, you know what? We should do," or that was never even, like, e- e- even remotely i- in any part of, like, those early visions of what our future would look like or, or for me personally, like what my, my dreams were and what I wanted to do.
[00:03:15] Deanna: And yet it has been i- in so many ways in alignment with all of that and in so many ways for me this kind of I don't know, like, uh
[00:03:32] Deanna: Like, it's allowed me to pull together a lot of skills and, and, and loves and joys in, in a way that, uh, nothing else would have. But it definitely wasn't in the cards. It, it didn't start really overnight all at once. Like, we were kinda slowly, like, getting more and more involved in giving back in our community in different ways, and then it evolved into giving flowers, and then it evolved into, like, helping people grow flowers.
[00:04:01] Deanna: And then it hit the point where it was like... I can remem- I think the defining moment for me, I don't know if it felt like this for you, was I'd gotten a call from Team Flower, and they'd asked if I would... No, I was, I had gotten an interview. I was on their podcast, and in that podcast, Kelly had asked me if I would be a presenter at the next year's conference, which was a big deal, you know, at that time in the flower world.
[00:04:28] Deanna: And it felt like it was kind of this affirmation, and affirmation of the work that we were doing in the world. Or the... I mean, I, I could, I guess in a way I could say I was doing. You were, like, quietly supporting it in the background, but it was kinda my, like, vision at the time. Um, I can remember. You know those moments where you're like...
[00:04:48] Deanna: I can remember, you were out weed whacking, and I came out and, like, was like, "You're not gonna believe what just happened. Like, I got asked to like, you know, share Growing Kindness from this like, you know, podium in front of this huge audience." And, and that was really kind of what was a catalyst, like, turning point for us doing this in our community to taking it to, like, more of a national level.
[00:05:14] Deanna: But what, what was it, what's it been like, like, bearing witness to that unfold all these years? And like, what, what were your thoughts in the beginning versus maybe your thoughts now? Yeah, I, yeah, I, I don't remember that particular time. I mean, I remember lots of times of weed whacking, but- ... I do remember you going down there and, um, I remember when you came back, you're kinda like, and I watched it, um, the recording of it, but it was like, "All right, here we go," because I just announced it to the national audience that this is what I'm doing or what we're doing.
[00:05:56] Shane: And, um, and so yeah, it, it got really real then. 'Cause you know how it is, like when you, when you, um, tell everyone that you're gonna do something, then you definitely feel like you gotta do it, so. Mm-hmm. Um, so yeah, I, it didn't... I, I don't... I, I mean, at that time I had no idea, uh, what to even expect, right? And definitely, uh, didn't see it turn into a not-for-profit.
[00:06:25] Shane: Um, I just, I, I just hadn't really thought about all the pieces that go into it. And so then, um, yeah, then it starts going and it's like getting bigger and bigger and, um, there's lots of late nights or early mornings, I guess you could say. They're both. Yeah. And so it just- You know, it's, I think it, it's kind of like starting a business, um- Exactly.
[00:06:54] Deanna: Or having a ba- I mean, in a way, like having a baby or like starting a business or starting a farm. I mean, it's like- Yeah. It's like you, you get going and it just continues to grow and takes more and more of your time and, um... So yeah, I mean, it was definitely, through the heart of it was some, some tough years, um, behind the scenes, but the reward always seemed to be, uh, worth it and continues 'cause of seeing the effects on people's lives.
[00:07:26] Shane: And there'd be times like we'd, we'd have a event at the house and, and come into it pretty tired and worn out because there was- Like exhausted. Yeah, like sleepless nights leading up to it, or very minimal sleep. And at the, you know, as you're getting towards where people are coming and you're just exhausted and you're thinking, "Man, was this, was this worth it?
[00:07:52] Shane: Like, is, is anybody gonna come and are they gonna have fun?" Or not, maybe not fun, but are they gonna- Like, is it gonna be meaningful? Is it gonna be meaningful and, and is it gonna be worth all this effort? And, and after every single one, it was like, whatever was poured out, we seemed to get back tenfold. Um, and, and like stories of, of what it did in a widow's w- life or somebody that was facing things in life that we can't even imagine 'cause we haven't faced.
[00:08:31] Deanna: Mm-hmm. And, and seeing the, the way that impacted them and, and helped them get through, uh, tough times. And, and we still, I mean, obviously that's still going on. Mm-hmm. And, and what's cool about it is it's, is it's grown, um, all over the world and, and all over our country and, and it's, it's, you know, and really, like through COVID it was a great time for it because people were looking for community and they were looking for ways to help and, and it created a lot of beginner gardeners that were able to grow flowers in just the little spaces they had.
[00:09:12] Shane: So, so yeah, I, I, it's, it isn't always easy. It hasn't always been easy and I mean, it still to this day has its challenges and its late, late nights but, um, it, it definitely shaped who we are and, and has helped us to be better stewards of what we've been given- Mm-hmm ... I would say. Um, yeah. Yeah.
[00:09:43] Deanna: Um, okay, I think this leads me... I, um, yeah, I think, I think that anything, you know, anything that you create, there's always the work that goes on behind that only either the person that's creating or the people that are supporting actually get to see. And I, I don't know, I think maybe that day that I came out, like, so excited, you know, and, and shared this that like, "Hey, we're gonna, we're gonna, like, move forward, you know, with an official national organization," you know, while with your, um, like, the weed whacker helmet like up on your head.
[00:10:24] Deanna: I mean, maybe if, if you would've known, like, what the cost was gonna be for, for me personally, and maybe for our family a little bit, like maybe that wouldn't have been as easy of a yes to support, you know? But I do feel like in the end it has been absolutely worth it. You know, I think that not only has it given us the opportunity as parents to do the thing that we always wanted to do was, like, create opportunity to help our kids, like, learn how to see a need and reach out and help other people.
[00:11:05] Deanna: But I hope, I hope, like, as parents that it's also And our, like, created for our kids this opportunity to see that you, you just... I'll, I'll, like, I mean, I know it's like I don't, I literally don't think we've had a podcast episode where I haven't mentioned this, but like, like start where you are, use what you have, do what you can.
[00:11:27] Deanna: Like, for us as a family, like we had the resources to like give away the Dahlia Tubers, you know, to help people get started. And we had the luxury, I recognize the luxury and privilege of me forfeiting having an income. Like, you know, for the last seven years, I volunteered as the executive director, and Growing Kindness wouldn't have existed because we would've never been able to fund it in order to like have the man-hours to do the work, had we had to like fund the dollars from the beginning.
[00:12:01] Deanna: So like as a family, like again, that start where you are, use what you have, like we had the privilege to get to choose, like to live a simpler lifestyle so that we could do that. And w- I guess what I, I just, I'm trying to say is I hope that for our kids, like that that has sown seeds for them, too, to see that, like how do we use what we have to help other people?
[00:12:26] Deanna: And I think that's, like I guess that's my hope for what, what's happened in, in founding this organization. And then, you know, like bigger than, like I guess in another, in another way as well, kind of like helping... I get... What am I trying to say? I'm gonna pause, like pause and edit here. Um, and so now, you know, now we're eight years in, and it's a, it is a new and different season.
[00:12:58] Deanna: And I mean, I, it wouldn't be honest to not say that like there's definitely been a cost, you know? Like- Mm-hmm. But that's been a privilege for us to be able to give, both financially, like forfeiting an income, but also like being able to donate like all the tuber sales, donate all the tubers that we've donated all the years.
[00:13:17] Deanna: Like that's been something that's been a joy to be able to give. I think the part where we started to recognize like where something had to change was that like when it actually like started taking my health and like my ability
[00:13:36] Deanna: My ability to, like, actually be present and, like, show up in our family because it was just, the work was so consuming, you know, in so many of those years. But I'm thankful for that experience too because it's taught us so much. I mean, I've learned so much about myself in it and through it and I think that we have learned so much about even our marriage in it and through it.
[00:14:02] Deanna: And, and it's brought us to, it's like you have to go, you know, you can't, you can't, you can't go around it. You have to go through it. Like, going through that and being able to recognize, like, when, when is the time to, like, start stepping back which kind of brings us to where the organization is now which is me no longer standing in the director role which feels new and a little bit scary but also really hopeful both for us as a family, like, to regain balance but also for the organization.
[00:14:36] Deanna: Like, it needs so much more than what I can give it and I think there is. You know, like they talk about founder syndrome all the time. Like, I think there is a unique role that a founder has in a, in a nonprofit organization especially and if you can't, like, let go of the pieces and allow other people to start pouring in and, and carrying it forward, like, it's gonna end ultimately suffocating it.
[00:15:03] Deanna: So like it just kind of brings us this season now where we're at and I feel really hopeful and excited about the next season for the organization. Um, I have lots of, like, visions and dreams and hopes for what Growing Kindness is gonna continue to grow into and become but, like, what about you? Like, what are, what are your hopes for this next season of the organization?
[00:15:33] Shane: Um Well, I, I mean, as your husband, I definitely care about your health, so I'm glad that, um, that you're able to step away in, in a way that, um
[00:15:52] Shane: You know, uh, well, I, I would say I What you put into play, or yeah, what you've put into play, I, I hope continues. And I hope that you and us as a family can continue to be a part of that. Um, but I do think that you stepping away from the role you had in it is, is definitely, um, been a good thing for, for everyone.
[00:16:28] Shane: Um, which that is hard to do. I mean, we've talked about that as- Ad nauseam. Yeah. It's like, you know, it's, it was your baby to start with and, and so, um, so yeah, it's hard to, it's hard to step away. Um, it's hard to let other, um, ideas and things come in. But I think what I'm hoping is that a foundation has been laid that can continue to be built on, and maybe it doesn't always look like the vision you have, um, at that time.
[00:17:06] Shane: But I, I think, like, the mission of the project, um, will continue and, and, uh- Continue to bring kindness into the world and, and, um, encourage people to give and with what they have. And so, um, and I, I mean, I hope that, uh, the podcast continues. I know that that's really... You en- enjoy that part of it, and so I think there's a lot of great stories out there that haven't been told and need to be tel- told because, you know, we all know that the news in, in our world is not, is not an uplifting thing to listen to.
[00:17:57] Deanna: Mm-hmm. So to have these stories out there of, of things that have brought joy in people's lives and kindness in communities and a sense of community and encouraging that, you know, I think really are... Yeah, people need to be, uh, close in their communities and be able to rely on each other and to know that they got each other's backs and that they're gonna help each other out.
[00:18:24] Shane: So, um, hopefully that, that will continue on and, and those stories will be told, so
[00:18:42] Deanna: Um, that's, that's really great. Um, I really ... I'm trying to decide if I push you to saying, like, I think... So I'm gonna, I'm gonna prompt you for this one a little bit. Like-
[00:18:55] Deanna: I kind of want you to, I want, I, I'd love for you to kind of say that you see the hours that it takes to make the work happen and that we need, like ultimately you wish people could see that like it can't happen for free. Like, you know, like we need, we need
[00:19:13] Deanna: Like we need the funding, you know? Yeah. So let me think about, like, how to ask that question. Um, okay So having been kind of behind the curtain, the... Wasn't it The Wizard of Oz? You know, behind the curtain these last few years. Actually, let me restart that. Um, so having been behind the scenes of watching this organization grow and seeing what it's taken to grow it to what it is now, and also getting to see the impact, what's one thing that you wish that people understood about, about the mission?
[00:19:56] Shane: Well
[00:19:59] Shane: From my own experience, I think, like, what, what I've found and was a surprise to me is, is what it takes to run an organization like this. Like, w- when, when it first began, I, I didn't, I didn't really realize, like, the financial part of it. I didn't realize the hours that would go into it. I think, you know, you just see somebody handing somebody a bouquet and making their day, and it's like, "Well, I mean, how hard is that?"
[00:20:32] Shane: But to, to have it be an organization that functions in a way that can bring resources to people, um, can bring these stories to people, um, and then the retreat and just all the thing... I mean, there's so many things that go into it that you just don't realize. I think it's, like, kinda, like, you know, you, you show up at a wedding, and it's this beautiful event and, and you...
[00:21:06] Shane: a- and, like, everything seems to be great and perfect, and you don't realize- And effortless, right? Yeah. And you just don't realize, like, all that went on behind the... all the hours leading up to that to get to that point. And I know I never saw that coming with this project, is the amount of hours it would take.
[00:21:25] Shane: Like, like you just said earlier, like, like, we, we maybe would've paused a little bit and thought about a little bit more, um, you know, going into it. But, like, you know, it's just life and life experiences. You just take steps and, and then you start figuring it out. And so what we, we figured out is that it takes a lot of hours, and it, and it does ta- it...
[00:21:50] Shane: There is a financial impact to it. And, um, I think sometimes, um, I, I just, I know for myself, I don't think of... I mean, I don't think about the amount of resources it takes to run a not-for-profit. Mm-hmm. Um, and so... And, and, like, there's nobody Currently in this pr- organization that takes a paycheck from it. Um, and so it's like it's all volunteers and, and so what you see is, is a lot of volunteers putting in a lot of hours of their own time and, and because they believe in a mission and they believe in the project.
[00:22:45] Shane: And but all the, all the things that get brought, there is a financial cost to that, right? And so I think really moving forward, that's a, a big part too is like, how do we fund this thing? How do we keep it going financially? Because, um- It, it takes resources Yeah And it takes- Yeah Yeah. It, it takes more than we can give out of our- Yeah, yeah
[00:23:24] Shane: you know, like, like we... Yeah. So, um, yeah, so definitely encourage people in whatever they can to, if they believe in the mission and, um, are able to, you know, the financial support is, is huge, and it means a lot to the organization, and that's what, what keeps it going. Um, so. Yeah, for sure. No, I think that, I think that was the thing that we were completely blind to, I was completely blind to when we started the organization, was just like, I loved what we were doing, and we could live in a way that we forfeited the income.
[00:24:15] Deanna: And so it made sense to me just to like, be the director, you know, in a volunteer role, which was awesome and allowed us to move things forward and just in a way that we never would have had capacity for at that time had we had to fund that role. Mm-hmm. But now the challenge is recognizing that when, when I step back, as I've stepped back from that, we have to try to figure out how to run an organization that has run with a free director, which is why we're in the season that's hopeful and exciting that we're in right now, which is, you know, like having expanded the board and brought on this really incredible, you know, group of board members who are really passionate about helping us figure out a way to be sustainable.
[00:25:09] Deanna: Um, you know, and having, having this opportunity to really restructure and actually run the organization In a way that's sustainable, I guess. I mean, really, like with... at the end of the day, it's just what is sustainable. And, and to be able to get the foundation under it to have the people and the resources to, to do those jobs, um, like that, that's such an important next step for the organization.
[00:25:40] Deanna: But what's exciting and hopeful to me is there's so many people that have believed in this organization, and I just... I, I know that the work that it's doing in the world is, is important. You know, it's meaningful. It's, it's impactful. And, and so I, I know, like I believe, I believe in my heart of hearts like that those pe- we'll get those pieces figured out, and the support will be there so that it can continue to exist in the world, and not only just exist in the world, like actually continue to reach more people and, and, you know, bring it like, like bring in the people that are missing.
[00:26:26] Deanna: Like one of the conversations that you and I have had for years is like what is that gonna look like when the funding, the stability for the organization is in place so that the funding, you know, the next step funding can move us forward into launching Growing Kindness Kids. Like that was always the heart of like why this even started was like how do we teach our kids, you know, how to move in kindness in the world?
[00:26:54] Deanna: And like Growing Kindness Kids has been just like the hope and dream that we would bring that in the world. But it's just been this like, feel like every year it's like the great big pause button. Like we have to keep hitting pause until we figure out how to get the funding in place just to get the organization sustainable so that then we can launch, you know, the next types of programs that are gonna be able to provide more specific resources and reach, you know, more people.
[00:27:21] Deanna: And like one of the things that you and I have talked about, and like these are things that are not even pu- like they're not public conversations yet, but like, like we've n- talked so much about the idea of like how do we empower men, you know, to get to be a part of the mission too? And like how do we create community for guys, you know, to like normalize this, like getting out in their communities and, and grow...
[00:27:44] Deanna: I think growing flowers is less stigmatized as giving flowers. But like, you know, like how do we, how do we get to launch a program that like creates community for men, you know, within the organization as well? And like there's so many hopes and dreams and visions for the way that we can better serve people and serve more people.
[00:28:05] Deanna: But it's like, yeah, it's like you said, like when you've sat on the backside knowing That you can't, like you can't build the second story until the first story is solid. So, but I, I don't know. How, like how are you feeling in this transition? 'Cause it has been, it's been a really exciting and also kind of weird year of me stepping out of the director role.
[00:28:30] Deanna: But us like, you know, as a, an, a- as a board organization trying to like re- restructure and move towards being like truly board-led versus just like founder-led. Like, but how do you feel about the next season and what's coming up for Growing Kindness? Um, I mean, I'm, I'm ex- I'm excited for it 'cause I, I do think it's, it's good that you have, um, a, you know, help.
[00:29:05] Shane: Um, and that you can kinda turn some of the... I mean, I've watched you over the years do a majority of the work, and so to be able to share that with others. 'Cause I mean, we've talked about this, like people want to help, and they wanna have, um, a, a place in the project. And, and that is sometimes hard for founders to do- Mm-hmm
[00:29:33] Shane: 'cause it doesn't always maybe look exactly like they thought. So, um, but I mean, I, I've been enjoying that, um, we, yeah, we can sometimes get out the door on time for trips and stuff now, so That has always been, oh my goodness, for like the last seven years, it was always like Yeah, this, I gotta answer the last emails.
[00:30:00] Deanna: I gotta get the last launch piece ready. Yeah, so- I gotta, I gotta do this or that before we can actually leave and- Before we can launch ... or before we can launch as a family. Yeah. And also, like, really this, this year, having stepped back as executive director, like, this year was the first year where we went on vacation and I didn't take my computer.
[00:30:21] Deanna: Like, I actually- Went on vacation ... actually was, like, present the whole time and not trying to, like, juggle all the pieces in the background, which it feels... I mean, like, the reality is, too, it f- it's, it's like handing your baby over and, like, trusting, like, it's gonna be okay in the hands of other people.
[00:30:39] Deanna: But I truly, truly believe in my heart of hearts that it was never mine or ours to just keep. Like, Growing Kindness wasn't, like, the Kitchen family organization or Deanna Kitchen's organization. Like, it was just our role and privilege to get to help bring it into the world and help hopefully, like, keep inspiring and participating, but not be the ones who are, like, holding it all in our hands, and it's just gonna be this continued You know, continued journey of other people stepping up and supporting it, you know, financially, you know, pouring in skills and time and talents, you know, and all the pieces.
[00:31:20] Deanna: So, yeah. Yeah. And that's, I mean, I think there's excitement for the future. Um, other people getting in- more involved, you being able to step back from some of the stuff that you've done. Um, and then there's, there's some fear in, you know, the financial end of it. Mm-hmm. And, and how does it keep going? And I mean, that's...
[00:31:46] Shane: I mean, shoot, that's been every year, though. Mm-hmm. I mean, it's like, it seems like every year there's a... You know, and I suppose in some ways that's like running a small business is like, can we keep the doors open another year? Um, and so, yeah, I mean, that, that's probably the biggest fear of the future.
[00:32:06] Deanna: Yeah. Um, but- And yet it's the biggest opportunity, too, right? Yeah. 'Cause all it takes is, you know, the right people coming alongside. Not the right people, that's not the right expression. All it takes is people with the right resources to share, you know, that believe in it as much as we do, so. Yeah. Yeah.
[00:32:27] Shane: Yeah, and the more... Yeah, the more people get involved and see the impact on it, the more they believe in it and- Mm-hmm ... the more, yeah, the more people wanna give- Mm-hmm ... to continue it on when they see the positive impact it has on people's lives. Yeah. I couldn't agree more. So. Okay, Shane Before we go, let's do some rapid fire, okay?
[00:32:52] Deanna: Okay. All right. You ready? Yeah. That's an actual thing. Do I do anything rapid? No. Um, all right. You have been a part of giving flowers for so many years now. What is one experience that you've had giving f- giving flowers to somebody that really stays with you? Um, there was a, there was, um... We were down in Stanwood at Josephine, and there was an older gentleman in there, and we gave him flowers.
[00:33:33] Shane: I think it was actually a centerpiece, but- Mm-hmm ... and, uh, and he just, he really wanted us to stay and talk and, and we did for a little bit, but we were trying to get through- All the other residents ... all the other ones, and he just, he just wanted us to stay and talk to him, you know? And, um, a- and I think I, yeah, at that point I just realized, like, giving flowers, and I've seen it many times over, that one for whatever reason sticks with me, is that it opens doors to conversation, and it takes down walls and, and people, they just feel like they can share, and you can d- you can just glean so much, especially from the generation, generation or generations ahead of you.
[00:34:20] Shane: Mm-hmm. Um, some of the life experiences they've gone through. Yeah.
[00:34:28] Deanna: Least favorite job when it comes to... Or let's see, let me rephrase, rephrase this. Least favorite job in the garden? Um, pulling thistles. Oh, right. Oh, I have that. I'm so bad, too. All right. Um, favorite flower? Pause. Can you scoot forward? You get kind of back from the camera Favorite flower is the, well, I like the- Do you have one?
[00:35:01] Shane: Oh, I, I just was telling you the other day re- uh, rin- rinoculus- Yeah. Ridiculous. Rinoculus. Rinoculus. Yeah. And peonies. Okay, that's crazy 'cause actually those are the two of my top two as well. I didn't know we shared sha- Well- We shared favorite flowers ... well, it probably is because since you like them, that's what we have, and that's what I know.
[00:35:25] Deanna: Right. You know, I have like an exotic, like bird of paradise or something like that. Is your favorite flower? Uh, no. All right. Um-
[00:35:40] Deanna: What's the other question? What's one more rapid-fire question? I've never done rapid fire, but I'm like, we're gonna be in two episodes now, so
[00:35:49] Deanna: Um, favorite Oh, let's do... Okay, we're gonna have to probably, like, edit the- you know, like, reshuffle these. So we'll do favorite, um, or favorite way that he's given flowers, favorite way or- Should we do least favorite job? Least favorite job. What's your- That was the thistles. Oh, yeah, the thistles. What's your favorite, favorite task in the garden?
[00:36:17] Shane: Um, putting down compost. Nice. And
[00:36:29] Deanna: Help me out. Like how, I should have had this brainstormed ahead of time. Sorry, this was kind of... This is where we're like flying by the seat of our pants now. Okay, so we did favorite flower, fower
[00:36:46] Deanna: Oh, okay. Let's do this. Okay, so also rapid fire. Sort of rapid fire. We're not being very rapid, but now that you ... It's interesting 'cause really you've been the support gardener, right? Like, I mean, you haven't really, like, taken on any area of the garden on your own or, like, picked your own. No, I generally expand the garden and maintain the garden.
[00:37:12] Deanna: You're the man behind the scenes. Um- Well, we're starting to fence the garden, so I feel like we've reached the end of expansion. Oh, yeah, we really can't expand beyond the fence. So I was telling the neighbor the other day. They're like- Oh, but can we? But can we? They're like, "Could you, do you think you got enough gardens?"
[00:37:27] Shane: And I said, "Well, I do, but I don't know if Deanna does," but the good news is, is we're starting to fence them. Yeah, but, I mean, then we just fence new areas, right? Is there ever, is there a limit to this? I hope so. Do you, do you really, or do you actually love that we have so m- like, so many growing spaces and so many flowers?
[00:37:50] Shane: No, I, I mean, like last night we had people up to the place and, and, uh, yeah, I mean, it's, it is beautiful, the gardens, and, um, I definitely enjoy sharing those with people. I don't, you know, I mean, not a lot of people have gardens the size of ours, but it is, it is really nice to share and the variety of flowers and stuff, so.
[00:38:16] Shane: But I, I mean, I'm fine with how much we have now. Yeah. I feel like this year we finally have gotten into, knock on wood, maybe a kind of a maintenance rhythm, so we're not like chronically out, just out trying to outrun the weeds. Yeah. So that's good. Okay. And then
[00:38:40] Deanna: Oh, let's see. Okay, so even though you're, even though you maybe aren't the head gardener on our farm, maybe more of just like support gardener, um, what would you say, I know that you have done enough work in the garden, um, for many years to be able to give some good advice. So what advice would you give to people who are just starting out with a flower garden?
[00:39:04] Shane: Get the best soil you can. Right? Yeah. Yeah, and then, and even if you don't have the greatest soil, begin to amend the soil, and in a few years you'll wonder what happened to that nasty old soil you had. Yeah. Yeah, I feel like that's been our experience on the farm. Yeah. Like, the, when we had so much compact clay, and now we have areas that are actually, like, thriving.
[00:39:32] Shane: It's a, it's a process. It takes time, but it's worth it. Okay. All right. Shane, thank you for sharing all of your experience behind the scenes with Growing Kindness. I'm, I think there's s- like you said, there's so many things that we get to witness and experience in the world that they, they maybe look effortless, or maybe we have just, we just don't have any idea of actually what's going on behind the scenes.
[00:40:03] Deanna: And so it's been, I don't know, cool for me even in this interview to get to kinda see your perspective on behind the scenes, and hopefully i- just informative and helpful for people to see kind of like what, what is actually going on behind the scenes, and taken, you know, over these last eight years to get this organization up and running, and, and the work that it's taken, and the cost that it's taken, but, but also absolutely how richly rewarding it has been as well.
[00:40:37] Deanna: So thank you for sharing all of your story and perspective here today. Before we go, there is one question that we always end every podcast episode with. I know you're familiar with this. What is one small act of kindness that someone once shared with you that you still carry in your heart today?
[00:41:00] Shane: Well, it, it-- this one won't sound like all the... I mean, this is coming from a male's perspective , so, uh, um, but, uh, it was a couple years ago, a good friend of mine, I'm not mechanical at all. I can run equipment and I can make gardens, but if I need to fix that equipment, that's where I run into problems. And, uh, we were getting-- we were gonna be going on a road trip, um, towing our camper, and our truck needed a bunch of front-end work done.
[00:41:35] Shane: And our friends came, and I think he actually came and got the truck and took it to his house, and he is not set up really great for working on equi- or on trucks. And I think it was, like, the springtime, so rainy and not great weather. And he rolled around under that truck in the rain and the mud and, and, uh, fixed the, fixed it all up for us so it was ready to go on the road trip.
[00:42:06] Shane: And, um, yeah, it just, uh, it meant a lot to me 'cause it was something that I couldn't do. Well, I don't know if I... Maybe I could do, but I didn't feel like I could do and, and, um, and then
[00:42:26] Shane: Maybe we should redo that. Do you wanna? That's fine. Okay. We're gonna cut and redo. All right. So we'll just go from- Was that fine that that was in there? Absolutely. Okay. Yeah. No, that's fine. Maybe you could, like, just... You could probably abbreviate it a little. Okay. Yeah. It- it's important to share the detail and, like, the...
[00:42:42] Deanna: 'Cause that p- that's how a story goes, but maybe just shorten a little bit and kinda hit the key points that, like, I couldn't do it. There was a sense of urgency. Like, we needed the truck. It was awful weather. Like, he was out in the w- you know, kind of... Yeah, just hit those points- Yeah ... and shorten it. All right.
[00:42:56] Deanna: Okay. All right. So we'll just take from the question, and then we'll scrap the, you know, your answer and go from there. Yeah, so, um, the one thing that sticks in my head that, um, uh, coming from a male point of view is that- I'm gonna pause you. You don't have to add that. Okay. You don't have to add that 'cause just, like- Yeah
[00:43:16] Deanna: it's guy, girl- Yeah ... whatever. Yeah. Kindness is kindness. Okay. All right. Okay. Sorry. All right. From the top. Yeah, so, uh, the one thing that comes to mind right away is, uh, there was a time where we were getting ready to go on a road trip, and it really wasn't even that long ago, and our truck needed a bunch of front end work, and I'm not very mechanical at all.
[00:43:37] Shane: And a friend of ours knew that, and so he... I think he actually even came over and got our truck and took it to his house, and he, he doesn't, he doesn't have a shop or something nice to pull it into, but, um, he just parked it out in his front yard. And I think it was in the spring, and so the weather isn't the greatest around here in the spring.
[00:43:57] Shane: It's wet. And he fixed the front end on our truck and had it all ready for us to go on our, our road trip, and, um, that, that just meant a lot to me because it was something that I felt like I didn't have the time to do or really the abilities to do. And to be honest with you, I think we might have been getting ready for a dahlia sale.
[00:44:22] Shane: And we were probably running behind. And so I, I was maxed out on what I could do, and so to have him show up and do that was just awesome. Awesome. All right. We always just end on that. Sorry. So just... Yeah. Um, you did good That should be per
