We are excited to present, PlantEd by the Bay, a series of interviews with local community members and their role in the plant based journey. Today, we sit down with CYNDI GARCIA of GULF COAST FOODSCAPES .
Our PlantEd by the Bay series features interviews with local business owners, health care professionals, entrepreneurs and community leaders who share our passion for a whole-food plant based lifestyle and whose work promotes and supports healthy living.
This series is intended to:
- Recognize and celebrate each interviewee’s accomplishments
- Provide an opportunity for them to share their unique talent and story with our community
- Empower the reader with inspiration and tools for success on their plant based journey.
Today, we welcome Cyndi Garcia, the founder, owner and operator of Gulf Coast Foodscapes. Cyndi gives us a glimpse into her life as a “plant-based living” educator and shares how she built the business she runs today. She is the product of ancestral and generational horticulture and has developed practical skills and knowledge through her many years of experience. Starting with what inspired her to build her business, to her biggest challenge, our interview with Cyndi reveals the hard work and passion behind her exciting new endeavor.
Cyndi holds a Bachelor’s degree in Human Sciences with a focus on design and business. As an active member of the CC Community, Ms. Garcia served as the Community Garden Manager with GROW Local of South Texas. She also served as daily operations and Programs Manager, as wel as, Educator and Public Representative of the Corpus Christi Downtown Farmers’ market.
Q: Please share your thoughts about the following statement: A whole food, plant-based (WFPB) nutrition has the power to prevent, treat and in some cases actually reverse disease. Living WFPB improves the health of us, as individuals, as well as the health of the plant.
A:I fully believe in the potency of naturally and sustainably raised foods to treat all kinds of illnesses. I’ve learned this through my own personal experiences with plant based foods and through witnessing what the lack of a healthy plant based diet can do to the health of individuals and families. After living at various levels of a WFPB diet and supplementary knowledge bases I remain committed to supporting natural growing methods, sustainable food chains, fair treatment of workers, local economies, healthy food preparation/meals and WFPB lifestyles.
Q: What type of business are you involve in and what services do you offer?
A: I own a Landscaping and Educational Personal Consulting business called – Gulf Coast Foodscapes.
Q: What inspired you to start your business ?
A: I finally decided to take the plunge after years of dreaming of owning my own business. I chose this moment, or rather, this moment chose me, to begin my independent ventures with this consulting operation. I looked at the current climate of desire among South Texans to get back in touch with their health and to enjoy the fruits of their native landscapes. I feel called to serve my community in this way, to get folks back in touch with their food, health and their surroundings. I’ve worked intensively for nearly a decade to learn practical skills for growing food and building a lexicon of knowledge for living a sustainable WFPB lifestyle in South Texas.
Q: Looking back at your time involved in the community , what is your most proud moment?
A: This is tough question for me, because I was deeply connected to all the work I did while I was on staff at GROW Local South Texas. But, I am the most proud of the “small business incubator” that I built into The Corpus Christi Downtown Farmers’ Market. I realized early in my career as Manager that relationships and leadership are the absolute winning factor in having a successful Farmers’ Market, and the only lasting product of that success is having a constant supply of business that can learn as they grow. My goal and measure for success eventually became businesses that grew better, stronger and bigger. Complete success for me as Manager was having a business go on to open a brick and mortar location after building their business at my Market.
Q: What is your biggest challenge in starting your business and how did you overcome that?
A: Well by business is brand new, so I think my biggest challenge right now is avoiding exhaustion or over-extending myself. My only tool for overcoming this is allowing myself to realize that I am just one individual with two hands. When I begin to feel like I’m taking on too much at once (I have a habit for constant worry and obsessing, I think myself in circles!), I pay attention to nature and allow the landscape to remind me that there is a season for all things, its a surprising comfort and a wonderful perk to working in the soil constantly.
Q: What is your favorite plant to grow?
A: It’s so difficult to choose just one! However, my overall favorite because its pretty, yields tasty fruit that we can eat AND provides habitat for wildlife is – “Native Passionfruit”! Its an attractive looking tropical vine that is perfect for fencing, depending on the fruiting variety, the vines can yield small pink, purple or yellow fruits. The flowers are beautiful and intricate (safe to eat fresh or can be dried for teas). The pulp inside the fruit can be tart and sweet like tropical candy, YUM! The reason this plant is my #1 favorite – the fruiting vine native to South Texas’s climate acts as a rare habitat for the Gulf Fratillery Butterfly and Caterpillar, its so fun to peek at these vines during warm weather and see the wicked looking caterpillars (which are harmless despite their intimidating appearance) and later the beautiful orange and black butterflies. I talk about this plant constantly because it brings awareness to pollinators: if your home landscape has zero native plants or flowers you will never experience the variety of flora and fauna native to your home.
Q: Successfully adapting a business is always a challenge, and doing so in a crisis on short notice requires much thought, creativity and flexibility. How have you adapted your business during Covid-19?
Yes! I decided to begin my business DURING and BECAUSE of covid-19, to share my knowledge and skills with families/individuals who are staying at home and trying to become more independent. Maintaining personal distance while teaching and wearing gloves while working during this period of increased need for safety is how I’ve adapted to continue taking on new projects.
Q: What are some ways clients can support you during this time?
A: Sharing their journey with their friends and family, tagging @gulfcoastfoodscapescc on Facebook and REFERRALS! Recommending my services to your neighbor, your parents/grandparents or a coworker is invaluable. My dream is to have blocks of clients who can swap fresh produce with their friends and neighbors!
Q: What is your number one piece of advice for people who want to grow an urban garden?
A: NEVER forget about the soil! 😉
Thank you Cyndi for sharing your story and unique talents with our readers. I love your idea of swapping fresh produce with friends and neighbors!
PBnJ strives to promote whole-food, plant-based lifestyle for our community through our resources. It is our mission to incorporate the practical knowledge of community members, like our interviewees, in our journey for stronger, healthier and sustainable living.
If you are seeking the practical skills to become more self sufficient in growing an urban garden, please contact Gulf Coast Foodscapes. Cyndi offers a personal, in-depth, hands-on guide to growing food at your home & creating habitat beautifully within your existing landscape. We are adding to our WFPB resources, PlantEd by the Bay, one post at a time!
PBnJ of Corpus Christi 