Sister Cai’s Backyard Garden: A Story of Vitality
Today, we had the privilege of listening once again to a talk by Ms. Cai Ping, this time on the theme of “Backyard Gardening.” But this wasn’t just a lecture about vegetables — it was about life, about resilience, and about the burning passion that keeps us alive and thriving.
From the very beginning, Ms. Cai moved us deeply. She shared candidly that she had endured two serious illnesses; during the second one, she had to endure more than fifty injections nearly every day. Such suffering is unimaginable to most. But she pulled through — not only did she recover, she even resumed dancing. Yes, she has danced her whole life, from youth to now. As soon as her health improved, she began exercising again.
Another thing that helped her keep going was her vibrant backyard vegetable garden. As fate would have it, we had invited her to give a talk during the pandemic a few years ago, where she shared her gardening story. Everyone fondly began calling her “Sister Cai.” Who would’ve thought that this “Sister Cai” would go on to become quite well-known? Not only within the Chinese community — even mainstream media and television stations have come to interview her about her gardening techniques. Her yard is rarely without fresh produce, even in the harsh Calgary climate. At peak times, she grows nearly 40 kinds of vegetables. In the bitter winters, when temperatures drop to -20 or -30°C, she and her husband, Mr. Yan, set up greenhouses early and busily tend to their garden both inside and out. Her husband has become her most dependable helper, sharing all the heavy work side by side.
Ms. Cai told us that nearly all the vegetables they eat throughout the year come from their own garden. Some fruits and vegetables that can be stored are carefully preserved and consumed slowly. What’s even more admirable is that over the years, she has developed a complete system of gardening knowledge — from seeds, soil, fertilizer, pest control, to balcony gardening and seasonal crop rotation — she has tried it all, and mastered it. She says a lot of her experience was gained by paying “tuition” — some seeds she bought never sprouted, while others casually scattered grew strong and healthy.
Today, she even brought five types of seeds she personally cultivated to share with everyone. These seeds are the result of years of experimentation and dedication. She spoke modestly, but we know that each of those seeds carries her sweat, wisdom, and love.
The event was lively and well-attended by members, friends, and fans — young and old alike. Everyone listened with great interest. She also invited fellow gardening enthusiasts from the audience to share their experiences, creating a warm and enriching exchange of knowledge. In the end, Ms. Cai handed out nearly 100 carefully packed seed packets to the attendees, sending everyone home with gratitude in their hearts and hope in their hands.
What moved me most was her final remark:
“Growing vegetables isn’t just for eating — it’s for the soul. Today, I check if the seeds have sprouted. Tomorrow, I see if they’ve grown. And when they do, the sense of accomplishment is more real than anything else. I don’t even have time to argue with Old Yan anymore — I’m too busy ‘talking’ to my plants!”
To be honest, I truly admire Ms. Cai. She’s not just growing vegetables — she’s cultivating life, nurturing hope. Through her, we see that no matter the illness or storms we face, as long as there’s love in our hearts, spring will always come.
Video Production: Chen,Bingsheng
视频制作：陈炳生
蔡姐的家庭小菜园
2025/05/22 by miaoxi • News
一场生命力的讲述
今天，我们有幸再次聆听蔡萍老师的讲座，主题是“家庭小菜园”。这一讲，不只是讲菜，更是讲生活，讲生命的韧性，也讲人活着的那份热气腾腾的热爱。
蔡老师从一开始就打动了我们。她坦白讲到自己曾两次大病，尤其是第二次，几乎每天都要打五十多针。那样的苦，常人难以想象。但她挺过来了，而且不但恢复了身体，更恢复了跳舞，是的，她从小跳到老，跳了一辈子，身体一有起色就立刻锻炼。
而另一个支撑她走下去的，是她家那片热气腾腾的小菜园。说来也巧，早些年我们在疫情期间请她做过一次讲座，讲她在家种菜的故事，大家就亲切地叫她“蔡姐”。谁知道，这个“蔡姐”一讲就讲出了名堂，不光是华人圈子，连主流社区、电视台都来采访她的种菜经验。她家的院子里，一年四季几乎都不缺菜，最多的时候有将近四十种蔬菜品种。冬天的时候，卡尔加里零下二三十度，她和丈夫严老师，早早搭好了大棚，屋里屋外忙着种菜、护菜。她先生成了最给力的助手，重活累活一起扛。
蔡老师说，她家的蔬菜一年四季，基本吃的全是自家种的。有些瓜果能久放，她就一一储藏好，慢慢吃。更让人敬佩的是，这些年她把种菜摸索出一整套经验：从种子、土壤、肥料、除虫到阳台种菜、四季轮作，她都试过，而且做得特别好。她说，很多经验都是“交学费”换来的——有些种子花钱买来却不发芽，有些随手一撒却长得又壮又好。
今天她还带来了五种亲手选育的种子送给大家，这些种子都是她自己反复试验、多年积累下来的成果。她说得轻描淡写，实际上我们知道，这每一颗种子，背后都浸透了她的汗水和智慧。
讲座现场很热闹，来了不少会员、老乡、粉丝，年轻的、年长的都来了，大家听得津津有味。她还邀请现场有经验的种菜朋友上台分享，大家热烈交流、互相取经。最后，蔡老师将自己精心准备的将近100份种子，一一分发给在座的听众，每个人都带着满满的感动和希望回家。
我记得她最后说的一句话特别打动我：“种菜不光是为了吃，更是为了心情。每天看看菜有没有发芽，明天看看长没长。长出来了，那种成就感，比啥都实在。现在我哪有时间和老严争辩，每天都忙着跟菜‘说话’呢！”
说实话，我真的很佩服蔡老师。她是用生命在种菜，也是在种生活，种希望。她让我们看到，哪怕经历病痛、风雪，只要心里有热爱，就永远有春天。
Sister Cai’s Backyard Garden: A Story of Vitality
Today, we had the privilege of listening once again to a talk by Ms. Cai Ping, this time on the theme of “Backyard Gardening.” But this wasn’t just a lecture about vegetables — it was about life, about resilience, and about the burning passion that keeps us alive and thriving.
From the very beginning, Ms. Cai moved us deeply. She shared candidly that she had endured two serious illnesses; during the second one, she had to endure more than fifty injections nearly every day. Such suffering is unimaginable to most. But she pulled through — not only did she recover, she even resumed dancing. Yes, she has danced her whole life, from youth to now. As soon as her health improved, she began exercising again.
Another thing that helped her keep going was her vibrant backyard vegetable garden. As fate would have it, we had invited her to give a talk during the pandemic a few years ago, where she shared her gardening story. Everyone fondly began calling her “Sister Cai.” Who would’ve thought that this “Sister Cai” would go on to become quite well-known? Not only within the Chinese community — even mainstream media and television stations have come to interview her about her gardening techniques. Her yard is rarely without fresh produce, even in the harsh Calgary climate. At peak times, she grows nearly 40 kinds of vegetables. In the bitter winters, when temperatures drop to -20 or -30°C, she and her husband, Mr. Yan, set up greenhouses early and busily tend to their garden both inside and out. Her husband has become her most dependable helper, sharing all the heavy work side by side.
Ms. Cai told us that nearly all the vegetables they eat throughout the year come from their own garden. Some fruits and vegetables that can be stored are carefully preserved and consumed slowly. What’s even more admirable is that over the years, she has developed a complete system of gardening knowledge — from seeds, soil, fertilizer, pest control, to balcony gardening and seasonal crop rotation — she has tried it all, and mastered it. She says a lot of her experience was gained by paying “tuition” — some seeds she bought never sprouted, while others casually scattered grew strong and healthy.
Today, she even brought five types of seeds she personally cultivated to share with everyone. These seeds are the result of years of experimentation and dedication. She spoke modestly, but we know that each of those seeds carries her sweat, wisdom, and love.
The event was lively and well-attended by members, friends, and fans — young and old alike. Everyone listened with great interest. She also invited fellow gardening enthusiasts from the audience to share their experiences, creating a warm and enriching exchange of knowledge. In the end, Ms. Cai handed out nearly 100 carefully packed seed packets to the attendees, sending everyone home with gratitude in their hearts and hope in their hands.
What moved me most was her final remark:
“Growing vegetables isn’t just for eating — it’s for the soul. Today, I check if the seeds have sprouted. Tomorrow, I see if they’ve grown. And when they do, the sense of accomplishment is more real than anything else. I don’t even have time to argue with Old Yan anymore — I’m too busy ‘talking’ to my plants!”
To be honest, I truly admire Ms. Cai. She’s not just growing vegetables — she’s cultivating life, nurturing hope. Through her, we see that no matter the illness or storms we face, as long as there’s love in our hearts, spring will always come.