Deprived of her own garden for part of this summer, France Benoit found an unexpected opportunity.

During the wildfire evacuation, she stayed with friends in rural southern Alberta. While there, she visited local farms and helped with the harvest.

SA国际影视传媒淚 needed to do that. I needed to help with harvest and touch soil,SA国际影视传媒� said Benoit, the owner-operator of Le Refuge Garden in Yellowknife.

She also visited farmers markets in Cochrane and Millarville.

SA国际影视传媒淚 went to farmers markets, going to visit farms, going to visit a cheese-making factory in Alberta because I made cheese myself,SA国际影视传媒� she added.

The evacuation was not just a displacement for Benoit but an opportunity to learn. However, she acknowledged the unsettling nature of being forced out of her Northern home and the difficulty of letting go. She emphasized that during that time she had no control over her garden, her business, her volunteer work as president of the farmers market or her involvement with the Yellowknife Car Share Co-op.

Despite these challenges, Benoit chose to turn this unplanned excursion into a learning opportunity and a time to unwind.

SA国际影视传媒淚 slept a lot the first week,SA国际影视传媒� she admitted. SA国际影视传媒淚 consider my experience to be very privilegedSA国际影视传媒� my situation was very different than people in hotel rooms with young children.SA国际影视传媒�

She drove out herself. She mentioned that the $750 in support from the territorial government should cover some of her expenses since she didnSA国际影视传媒檛 have to pay for accommodations. But she bought some food for her friends where she was staying.

SA国际影视传媒淔ood is important. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 about the sharing of food, the cooking together,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

Benoit believes that these tragic events that the community goes through can, in some ways, be priceless experiences.

SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 no way you can repay people for what they did,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

Instead, she believes in paying it forward and being there for others when they need it.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 not only saying itSA国际影视传媒檚 your friend, itSA国际影视传媒檚 like firefighters or everybody whoSA国际影视传媒檚 doing contributions to the community. Like, itSA国际影视传媒檚 hard to actually define a price,SA国际影视传媒� she said of the value of the work and favours done.

When she left Yellowknife in August, Benoit was preparing for the next farmers market. She had a list of tasks to do every day, but everything changed when she had to evacuate. She departed with the thought that she might come back to no house or a damaged home, and that her garden would die without being watered.

However, some people stayed behind, including essential workers and various residents. Quite a number of people got in touch with her and offered to water her crops. In return, she allowed those people to harvest goods.

Upon returning to the NWT capital, she found her garden healthier than expected. She noticed that when she waited to pick vegetables, they grew bigger and often sweeter.