We caught up with Kesiah Bascom to ask about her relationship with nature. A dynamo in the sustainable agriculture and food justice realm, Kesiah is the founder of OffBeet Compost, which helps households and businesses make the most of their organic waste. Kesiah lives in the Merrimack Valley Region, between Massachusetts and New Hampshire in the United States. Kesiah is also one of my cousins.

What’s your favourite thing to do in nature?

Honestly? Simply sitting peacefully in nature is everything to me! The reward after a long hike is perching on a ledge and gazing out at the view. I love finding a quiet place by a pond and looking at the reflection of the clouds on the water, watching dragonflies dancing above, and waterbugs zipping across the smooth surface. I am also a huge fan of gardening. I started growing my own food in high school and I’ve never stopped.

Describe your connection to nature: what positives does it bring to your life? 

I think that sometimes humans forget that we are a part of nature. When I put my hands in the soil, when I see a seed that I placed in the earth sprout into a thriving plant, and later witness bees and hummingbirds coming through to share in its vibrancy, I feel more centred and fulfilled in life. Like I’m a part of a larger ecosystem that I’ll never fully understand but will always be grateful for.

What are your fondest memories of spending time in nature?

My sisters and I were really lucky! We grew up with a forest and a pond literally at our doorstep. My best memories are running around in the woods and swimming all summer long. It’s funny because in my teen years all I wanted to do was escape from that lifestyle and move to the “big city” but now I spend much of my life trying to create little pockets of green wherever I go. Whenever I get a chance I return home to be a part of that world again. 

Many of us are time-poor and might not get out into nature as much as we’d like. Any suggestions for a quick nature-based pick-me up? Something sensory, experiential…? 

Hmm… It is hard! A breath of fresh air is a good place to start. If you’re at your desk all day, make sure you take a break and go outside, even for a moment, to reset/re-energise. Or you could buy a plant! Watching it grow and taking care of it is so rewarding. I know some folks have a fear that it won’t survive under their watch, but start with something easy. I’ve had a few plants wither up on me, but Pothos plants have always been forgiving…