Mahunisa Ikram

Tell us a little bit about yourself, your hobbies and interests.

Gardening is the hobby I am most passionate about. Through the years, I have collected plants to a point where my home and yard look like an overflowing tropical paradise. I was fortunate enough to collect plants from both urban and rural areas of the United States, where I grew up. My mother introduced me to gardening from a young age and she has made me the passionate gardener I am today. All my life I have entertained myself by trying to test out my green fingers to see which type of gardening I am best suited to. My knowledge of regrowing from kitchen scraps has become my best and is definitely the most fun. I have been regrowing from scraps for many years now and find it quite relaxing. I love the idea that I have food on hand at all times. I’ve also saved a lot of money by feeding my family. I always have food in my house for my kids to munch on or to prepare meals for the table. My other passion is to work with Special Needs Students. I have worked as a Special Education teacher for two decades.

When and why did you start writing books?

From Kitchen Scraps to Nutritious Gardens is my second book. Many families are living from paycheck to paycheck, struggling to keep up with the rising cost of food and so much more. . I have a simple and effective method for growing a garden from grocery scraps that I can’t wait to share with you. I’ve had a passion for gardening, animals, and special needs as far back as I can remember. As a professional, I chose a career that involved children who have disabilities.

What made you decide to tackle writing as a career?

2) As we all know, fear and worry have been two of the main factors that have dominated everyone's lives over this past year. This mainly stems from pandemic-driven confinement. It can also be sourced from the sounds of wars that are encroaching upon our doorsteps. You can agree that children’s and adults’ lives have been turned upside down during this time. We have been made aware that people need to become as close to self-sufficient as they can be. The pandemic shortages of 2020 have led to many garden centers, nurseries, and online stores running out of seeds and plants. Gardeners with my knowledge have used their own expertise and creativity to carry on gardening without looking for resources. Kitchen scrap gardening is a thrifty method of caring for your family. I have worked in schools as a teacher, where I can tell the majority of students did not eat at home that day. Parents cannot afford the meals they used to receive growing up. The cost of living has escalated as the economy has plummeted. Regrowing fruits and vegetables from kitchen scraps is the best method for saving money in the grocery line.

Which one of your books or characters is your favourite?

I wrote a short book "Habibi my beloved cat". I dedicated to my cat who I had the pleasure of spending for over18 years. I still miss her every day.

Which one of your books was the hardest to write and stretched you the most as a writer?

From Kitchen Scrap to Nutritious Gardens

Who is your favourite author and book?

The Pocket Fishing Basics Guide: Freshwater Basics: Hook, Line, and Sinker by Wade Bourne