Interview with Julia Pugateva

At this moment, I am pleased to share a dialogue I shared with Julia Pugateva, the owner of Julia's Organics.  She is known on Instagram for her mouth-watering food photos listed as Julia's Organic Garden and Kitchen.   I met her through a mutual friend and had the delight of a tour of her backyard garden as well as a glimpse of her recording snippets of master classes.

With her own natural beauty care products, a few of her own beehives, chickens and diverse fruits and veggies growing in an organized way, she certainly has a lot on the go.  You might catch her selling fresh produce or homemade saurkraut a local market, picking up containers people have discarded, offering classes in Endeavour Hills and her home.

How about you begin by sharing the basic idea of what you do.

I want people to get in touch with the Earth, be aware of where their food comes from, how its grown, how easy it is to grow food yourself, to make the most of what you have and the space you live in. We can all discover directly the impact of how we think and feel on health and well-being. I also wish people to discover aging is a state of mind and we can do a lot to look and feel younger and more energized.

What does organic gardening mean to you? 

Organic gardening is about getting back to basics, getting your hands dirty, making the best of local weather and resources, growing what you can where you are. 

What is your mission exactly?

-Grow & supply fresh, organic produce

- Provide exceptional organic skincare range at affordable price
- Encourage people to reduce our environmental footprint on the planet
- Run educational activities and give professional advice (master classes, cooking, gardening, lifestyle)
- Implement sustainable living whenever possible

When did you get started? And why do you continue?

I have been organic gardening since I was six years old.  When I go to large grocery chains to see what they have, they seem to be limited in what they offer. I also do not like that some items are transported long distances to get on the store shelves. I like to eat as local as possible, sell my products at markets and also do home delivery in my area.

What prompted you to devote more time to your passions for cooking, gardening, health and well-being?

I used to work in an accounting office. The money was good but I did not have much time with my children.  I started a youtube channel that shares advice and experience about subjects that are important to me.  The business grows based on where I put my energy and how much confidence and trust I have in myself.  After all, if I do not set an example; eat what I sell, use my products that I say boost health and well-being, how can I expect people to take me seriously?

Love that you practice what you preach.  Living in integrity, being true to yourself, is a powerful message that people feel. 

Your garden is so full of delicious things to eat.  Please share some details about what you grow.

I love gardening, during every season. I grow flowers, fruit trees, vegetables and herbs. This provides me with endless organics and food supplies throughout the year, gives me joy and happiness. In my garden, I have apples, plums, pears, oranges, grapefruit, grapes, mandarins among many other fruit and vegetables. Every day, I am picking seasonal vegetables and herbs. Many people forget what it tastes like to eat a fresh egg that was just laid. I also harvest honey and beeswax from my own beehives. I wish to live sustainably, not go to the shops so often.

Love more people are exploring what is required to be an apiarist. Its not for the faint at heart!

You may have heard people like Jim Davis say: "Vegetables are a must on a diet.  I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie." Of course, many people know vegetables offer endless possibilities for the palette, taste great alone or mixed, and do not have to be in cake or bread.

And they are full of nutrition too!

Tell us what people may find unique about the garden you have at this stage.

As you look in my garden, you notice I use absolutely everything I can get my hands on to grow food and encourage sustainable living. I am not growing food in my old spa, but I have considered it.  I pick up items on the side of the road.  People also bring me things they no longer want or need.  I compost my own earth, grow fruit and vegetables in buckets, rectangular styrafoam containers, an old broken mini kids' wading pool, an old plastic car my kids used to drive when they were little, rubber boots, regular plant pots and even an old hen house. I am very practical.

Gee, you remind us that being resourceful is within reach with whatever we have.  It stands out you show that adults, like children, have freedom to be creative. Adults are so often defined by being serious, laughing less than children. We have  more fun by living more simply, laughing at ourselves.  It helps to let go of doing what we are taught and inventing new ways to live and learn.

Yes. And people often say to me they do not have space to grow anything. I remind people they can grow food in pots on a windowsill, that you can suspend plastic bottles as a mini salad garden from a fence.  We can make the most of our homes to pay more attention to the environment and how we can use what we have. The only limits are those we place on ourselves.

I am excited to hear more about your upcoming permaculture advice and cooking classes and other activities.  Where can people find out about these details?

Visit my website and keep tabs on my instagram messages. Among others, I am offering a classs on saurkraut making.  The probiotics are very good for the gut. My diet growing up included different kinds of saurkraut. I share related personal stories.

Personal touches clearly make your classes engaging. I love the samples I witness as you make cauliflour soup as well as traditional salad including saurkraut after a garden tour to collect the contents.  The honey dessert is a nice touch for those with a sweet tooth.

Yes. People forget the simple truth that nutritious food can be cooked quickly with what is seasonal, readily available and for an afforable price. I tell people this when I sell produce at local markets or online. I also share wholesome recipes on my site and blog as well as during cooking classes to help people help themselves and eat healthier.

What would you say is a bit unusual about what you grow?

I invite people to grow seasonally what helps maintain health and well being and encourages self-healing.  Growing and eating garlic and tumeric for instance, minimizes colds, especially during winter. I grow a south american fruit which research shows helps to heal Type II diabetes. Many fruits have anti-cancer properties as well and how different foods helps self-heal is part of what I teach. It is not only about how to grow sustainable produce, but also to be aware of the health benefits that are passed down from ancient cultures.

Love that what you are doing is also a way to empower people to take more responsibility for their own health, to care about where their food comes from.  Thus, when people buy from you or other organic farmers at markets, they can feel more connected to the Earth and what kinds of foods contribute to longevity, health and well-being.

Please offer advice about what people can do to naturally minimize pests in their garden beds.

Sprinkle cayenne pepper on leaves and soil in areas of leafy greens prone to insects or as a preventative.  Kale is an exception. Dilute some dishsoap or kids' shampoo with water and spray it on the leaves. I offer lots of other useful specifics during my garden tour.

Julia, you are a wealth of practical knowledge! Unsure if you know the film Julie & Julia (2009) with actresses Meryl Streep and Amy Adams. If not, I sense you would enjoy it. You have so much wisdom to offer, I sense you will eventually compile a garden tips book as well as a cook book people can make their way though. The humor of the film I recommend to you relates to a woman changing her life based on food and cooking her way through an inspirational cookbook.

Tell us about organic products you share other than those you grow.

I offer a shop on my website with products I recommend to compliment what you grow yourself. People can check out the online shop offerings.  They include items for; pantry, kitchen, beauty products, supplements, pet food, eco-cleaning products, eggs, fridge and other items. I highlight my own garden produce.

That is an impressive variety. Your shop includes items you produce as well as other organic products.  How do you choose?

I sell those things I recommend and use myself. People also put me onto different items and I test them out before adding them to my shop. My beauty products combine natural liquids, herbs, beeswax and extracts to promote youthfulness. Look at my skin--it glows. This speaks volumes.

Your blog reveals you know a lot about which berries, herbs and fruits are good for specific ailments. Your blog offers a great article on Buckthorn. How do you come to know these things?

I do research. I test things out. People share their stories with me. I know people who have healed themselves. I feel its important to share this kind of information.  Then, people feel more empowered and know they do not always need chemicals.

When you speak from the heart, it shows. I love those stories you share with me in-person and encourage you to share more on your blog.  Tell people why you choose to grow specific plants in you garden, and which ones promote specific kinds of healing. 

Great idea! I'll get to that soon. My next article is going to be how to fight pests organically.

Many people can certainly benefit from insights that would help them based on their soil, climate and other factors. Look forward to hearing more from you.

Let us know if you have any other special events you would like to draw reader attention toward.

An article is coming out soon in Bohemian Rhapsody Magazine. Look out for it. New videos will also soon be available on my website. Check back often to view new developments.

We certainly will!

Thank again and Spasibah! Julia for your inspiration in listening to your heart and showing people it is within reach for everyone to live in ways that promote simpler, healthier living. When we speak our truth, be accountable for how we feel and overall life situations, we each have the choice to take responsibility and decide where to focus our attention.

One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating. -Luciano Pavarotti