By Michelle Riggen-Ransom

This “Meet a Parent” is a little different than usual. To kick off a summer of gardening, I interviewed my friend and avid gardener TJ Sondermann about his gardening habits. TJ is a librarian who is currently at home with his almost seven-month-old son. He’s also a committed urban gardener, a fount of techie and greenie information, and an all-around nice guy. Let’s meet him!

Where do live?
TJS: Providence, RI

What are you planting this year?
TJS: This year we’re removing lots of lawn to make room for perennials. In the veggie garden, we’re planting corn (which we grow mainly to make the dry stalks into fall decorations as the squirrels always eat all the corn), lots of assorted greens, eggplant, tomatoes, pickling cucumbers, our regular assortment of herbs, and we’re experimenting with Brussels sprouts.

We’re also planting a neighborhood BYOS (bring your own scissor) herb garden on the side of our house this year. Come on over for a sprig of thyme if you need it.

Where do you garden?
TJS: The first day we looked at the house that would become our own, my wife was asking all sorts of appropriate questions about taxes and heating bills. Me, I had my eye on about sixty square feet of space in the backyard that was screaming, “Clear me out and plant some veggies.”

I’m also volunteering a bit at the Mount Hope Community Garden this year. I can’t think of a better way to get your family involved in the fabric of your neighborhood than by standing shoulder to shoulder, knee-deep in compost with the diverse group of folks who generally make up a community garden.

Who do you garden with?
TJS: Generally with my wife and a small group of friends whose children range in age from 4 months to 6 years of age. We all pitch in (with advice or manual labor) from time to time at one another’s backyard plots and share the bounty either directly or through weekly dinners. Last year a few of us (kids included) plucked many pounds of basil leaves from stems and had a pesto making party. Everyone went home with a few containers of freshly made pesto.

What is your favorite thing about gardening with your child?
TJS: I’ve been hooked on gardening since my grandfather sat me on his lap at age 5 and showed me a cucumber that he had grown inside a beer bottle (Michelob, of course), and I cannot wait to do the same for my son.

Thanks, TJ! Happy Gardening to you and your family.

Nature/Nurture, written by Michelle Riggen-Ransom, is an occasional column with ideas and information to help kids and their families engage with the natural world in fun, interesting ways. Share your thoughts and explorations by adding your comment below, or contact us with your story ideas.

PHOTO CREDIT: From TJ Sondermann’s Flickr account

Today’s Kidoinfo Interviewer: Anisa Raoof

Kidoinfo: What neighborhood do you live in?
JG: Currently, we live in the Elmhurst neighborhood, right by Providence College. The last two weeks have been a blessing and a curse. The curse: end-of-the-year partying by PC students; and the blessing: the great things they throw off their porches like a little tikes basketball net, a kiddie pool, an amazing computer chair, and many Halloween costumes!

Kidoinfo: Where were you born?
JG: I was born in Rhode Island, went to Classical High School and Rhode Island College, and like any punk worth her salt, thought Rhode Island Island was boring, so I went to San Francisco to “discover” myself. Instead, I discovered the Circus. Using San Francisco as my base for twenty years, I was lucky to travel the world with Cirque Du Soleil, Theatre FoFo, Runs with Scissors, and too many more to mention.

Kidoinfo: How long have you been in Rhode Island?
JG: After the birth of my gorgeous son, Pascal, I decided to seek out my roots and made my way back to Little Rhody. I moved back home one year, three months, two weeks, and thirty-two minutes ago. I’m thrilled to be back where a grinder is a sandwich, not just for coffee & spices, coffee is a syrup, not just a morning beverage, and a quahog is known for what it is. . . and the New York system and Haven Bros. are still the midnight treat.

Kidoinfo: What is your current state of mind?
JG: Bliss. One week from his second birthday, my son decided to go pee in the toilet! Yeah! Along with this joyful event, I get to own my own business, where I’m fortunate to talk with moms and dads all day long. I’m writing a kids’ show for a big event coming up, and I’m dating a truly nice guy. Okay, maybe my state of mind is subdued chaos. Or just masked chaos . . . wait, isn’t that motherhood? Oh! the bliss is coupled with the sale of my son on Craigslist. The terrible twos have arrived, so if you want him, I’ll include shipping!

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Today’s Kidoinfo Interviewer: Nancy King

Kidoinfo: What neighborhood do you live in?
DR: I always tell people who ask this question: “I live in the 1950s.” But the real answer is Rumford, East Providence. It just reminds me of what I imagine it was like in the 1950s – small houses on small lots with people of various ages and occupations living right on top of each other. It’s a real neighborhood. My neighborhood throws a block party in the summer…

Kidoinfo: Where were you born?
DR: I was born in Springfield, Vermont, in the southeastern part of the state. Again I have a shopworn line about it, because everyone thinks growing up in Vermont must have been so beautiful! … It is a beautiful state, but my little corner is not the part you see on the postcards. I’ve always thought there was a Universal Law of Conservation of Charm that governed states. My part of Vermont is the part with the charm deficit that allows Woodstock, Burlington, and the like to be extra charming. Having said that – it was a great place to grow up. And I love going back to visit my family, all of whom live there now. I have a much greater appreciation for it now than I did when I was a teenager and all I could think about was leaving.

Kidoinfo: How long have you been in Rhode Island?
DR: We moved Providence from Rochester, N.Y., in 1993.

Kidoinfo: What is your current state of mind?
DR: Anxious. About most everything… Then again, it’s sort of my permanent state of mind, and I don’t find it debilitating; it’s more of a motivator.

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Neighborhood: Nayatt-Beach, Barrington

Kidoinfo: How long have you lived in Rhode Island?
PC: Three long, wonderful years.

Kidoinfo: What is your current state of mind?
PC: Swirling (getting ready for a science fair and I’ve not done much yet..ahhhh).

Kidoinfo: Who’s in your family?
PC: Ted — Man of Unbelievable Ethos; Slade the (currently practicing) Benevolent; Archer the Performance Artist (has indelible red scrawl on his face to show his school the look of ’surprise’); Babe the albino dog that looks like a pig, honks like a goose, and acts like a 95-year-old Irish bitty; Sketchy and Hoagie— the feral brother/sister feline duo.

Kidoinfo: What trait do you most admire about your family?
PC: We love to laugh deeply and think potty humor is incredibly funny.

Kidoinfo: What is your favorite thing to do?
PC: With kids — dance like a crazy person. Without kids — surfing. Someday with kids — surf.

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Home Work: Lessons from Work at Home Parents. Like many of us, these parents juggle kids, work, and childcare (or lack of it), but their unique situation requires that they squeeze in worktime at home, whether working for someone else or running their own business. Hearing how these parents manage to make it work along with the challenges they face may help the rest of us with our own home work.

Today Cindy Elder, founder of Bristol Harbor Homemade, shares with Katy Killilea of Kidoinfo how she deliciously does her Home Work.

Cindy was born in New York and moved to Barrington, RI, when she was six. She graduated from Barrington High School and received a BA with a double major in creative writing and career writing from Roger Williams University. She and her husband, Bob Elder, live in Barrington with their two daughters – Elizabeth, age nine, and Emily, age ten. Cindy’s business, Bristol Harbor Homemade, is an artisan food company (formed in May 2004) that produces all-natural gourmet baking mixes such as cookies, breads, scones and biscotti. (Read Katy’s review on Kidoinfo.)

Kidoinfo: What inspired you to start your business?

Cindy: I’ve always enjoyed producing homemade treats for the holidays. When we were living in Harvard, Massachusetts–a very rural town–I noticed that many of the local farm stores carried baking mixes packaged in mason jars. I decided to package my own favorite recipes for gift giving, and it became an annual tradition. These pre-made mixes were a time-saver for me at home, so I often made extras to have on hand for quick baking with that “made from scratch” quality. They really came in handy when we were sailing with the kids in the summertime, because storage and work space are scarce commodities on a boat. It made sense to pre-mix as many things as I could so that we could eat well on board without a lot of fuss.

How did you start your business?

Cindy: When we first moved to Rhode Island, we enrolled our kids at the Gordon School. At one of my first PTO meetings there, they mentioned they were looking for fundraising ideas. I offered to make up some of my cookie mixes, and we sold out of the 120 jars in a few hours. After the fundraiser, people kept asking me for more. “I don’t care what you put it in – just get me more of that mix,” they’d say. Several of my fellow moms, along with the school’s kitchen manager, encouraged me to turn it into a business. The next step was to become a certified food safety manager, incorporate the business, and refine the recipes. Then we had to settle on a logo, an image, and packaging concepts. I worked closely with a few local retailers who gave me great feedback on my designs, and these people became my first retail customers. In the beginning, most of my sales came through fairs, events, and fundraisers where I was able to showcase my products.

How do you balance work and family?

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Neighborhood: Pierce Field, East Providence

Kidoinfo: How long have you lived in Rhode Island?
KC: I was born and raised here. Then I lived in Burlington, Vermont, Seattle for a total of 10 years. I came back to the biggest little state in 2004.

Kidoinfo: What is your current state of mind?
KC: Mmm, stuffy. I’ve had a lovely blend of cold-n-allergies for the past 2 months.

Kidoinfo: Who’s in your family?
KC: MC (my main squeeze), Nora, our 10-month-old wave-a-holic, Norman the cat, and Chuckie d., also a cat.

Kidoinfo: What trait do you most admire about your family?
KC: We’re a musical family.

Kidoinfo: What is your favorite thing to do?
KC: Go somewhere with a ton of people and watch Nora freak out (in a good way - she loves her some hustle and bustle).

Kidoinfo: Where is your favorite place to hang out?
KC: Ocean, forest, camp, flea markets, home, friends’ homes.

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Kidoinfo: What neighborhood do you live in?
HMB: East Side, Providence

Kidoinfo: Where were you born?
HMB: Boston

Kidoinfo: How long have you been in Rhode Island?
HMB: 3 ½ years

Kidoinfo: What is your current state of mind?
HMB: I’ve let myself off the hook a bit recently, and it feels good. I’ve finally accepted that I’m not going to be able to do as much, the same, as before my son, Sam, arrived. There are less late nights out and more take-out dinners, but I’ve stopped feeling like I’m screwing things up and I’ve better embraced this new life, and this new person.

Kidoinfo: Who’s in your family?
HMB: My wonderful, funny, barbecuing genius husband, Eugene. My wonderful, beautiful, light-switch-obsessed son, Sam, 1.

Kidoinfo: What trait do you most admire about your family? How we can drop everything – wooden blocks, a Tupperware full of leftover chili – and sit down amidst the mess to play with the fridge magnets or for a hug. As a recovering stressed-out, neat freak, I’m thankful that I can tune out the chaos for a truly important moment.
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Neighborhood: Southeastern, CT

Kidoinfo: How long have you lived in Rhode Island?
AS: I’m a native New Yorker, but I’ve lived in the border states of Massachusetts and Connecticut since 1989 AND I know what coffee milk is, does that count? My regular grocery store is in Rhode Island, so that practically makes me a native.

Kidoinfo: What is your current state of mind?
AS: Scattered, busy, fulfilled, and happy

Kidoinfo: Who’s in your family?
AS: Husband Brian, three-year-old Will, and 20-month-old Henry. And the world’s largest collection of toys cars and trucks, currently lying on my kitchen floor.
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Neighborhood: Armory, West Side of Providence

Kidoinfo: Where were you born?
MK: In the middle of Connecticut.

Kidoinfo: How long have you been in Rhode Island?
MK: We moved here 2 ½ years ago.

Kidoinfo: What is your current state of mind?
MK: Cloudy, With a Chance of Meatballs…

Kidoinfo: Who’s in your family?
MK: Our nuclear family consists of my husband, my 17-month-old son, our neurotic and wonderful dog, Aoife (pronounced EE-fa), and myself. We have a satellite family that includes far-flung friends and relatives that drop in on a regular basis.

Kidoinfo: What trait do you most admire about your family?
MK: Our silliness and our resilience.

Kidoinfo: What is your favorite thing to do?
MK: I love to draw, to write, to cook, to read. When I am with my son, we like to build, sing, and take long walks. When I am with my family, we like to dance. Our dog doesn’t like the dancing, though.

Kidoinfo: Where is your favorite place to hang out?
MK: We love to visit the Dexter Dog Park and playground, Seven Stars on Broadway or White Electric on Westminster, the library (of course), the Gladys Potter Park on the East Side, and when summer rolls around, you’ll find us at the beach.

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Neighborhood: Warren, Rhode Island

Kidoinfo: Where were you born?
JB: Earth (aka Providence, RI).

Kidoinfo: How long have you been in Rhode Island?
JB: I’ve lived here since birth.

Kidoinfo: What is your current state of mind?
JB: Calm. My kids are asleep!

Kidoinfo: Who’s in your family?
JB: I have four children - two daughters (11 and 6) and two sons (5 and 3). My mother and father live nearby. My sister and brother-in-law live in Los Angeles; we are very close and see each other often. I have a remarkable friend and partner who I’ve been in a relationship with for almost 3 years. He is very involved with my family and is a Mighty Papa-Pia (my youngest son’s term of endearment).

Kidoinfo: What trait do you most admire about your family?
JB: The amount of love and fun we have.

Kidoinfo: What is your favorite thing to do?
JB: So hard to pick one. Healing arts, shiatsu, yoga, singing, dancing, etc. I studied shiatsu and traditional Chinese medicine as well as practice and I teach yoga at a great studio in town, The Yoga Loft, that I recently took ownership of.

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