The Airdrie Horticultural Society is helping to feed residents with food insecurity this harvest season. The newly established Grow to Give Project aims to sow, grow, harvest and donate fresh produce from Airdrie’s Monkland and Lanark Community Gardens and donate it to Airdrie Food Bank.
“Last year, we had a program called Harvest Share in which we encouraged our gardeners to share part of their harvests, which were then donated to a couple of local charities,” says Yvonne Ormson, Airdrie Horticultural Society garden manager.
“Wanting to build on that success and do as much as possible to tackle food insecurity in our community, this year, I created the Grow to Give Program.”
The program has donated more than 1,413 pounds of fresh produce since July 16 and Ormson says they hope to give a total of at least 2,000 pounds before the program closes for the year on October 11.
“We still have potatoes to harvest as well as lots of beets, carrots, squash, zucchini and some pumpkins, so I think we can reach 2000!” she says.
“We have been so very touched and grateful at the generosity of our community gardeners in contributing to the Grow to Give program. We have donation boxes in our garden sheds and almost every day I find beautiful gifts of produce — from a single beet to a giant zucchini. Each piece of produce is given with love and will be greatly appreciated by a food bank hamper recipient.”
Meghan West, executive director of the Airdrie Food Bank, says fresh produce is a frequently requested item and the Give to Grow program is an incredible example of people using their skills and passions to contribute to their community and support their neighbours.
“The produce from the Give to Grow program allows us to provide fresh healthy options and provides individuals and families opportunities to try new foods that are fresh, local and grown with love,” she adds.
“Food from the Give to Grow program is primarily distributed through our walk-in pantry program. Items from the Give to Grow program may also be used to supplement produce packs that are included in our food hampers.”
Ormson says several garden plot tenants have dedicated a portion of their plots to grow food specifically for donation, and a couple have donated their entire plots to the food bank. Others have participated by donating seeds, pots, soil, seedlings, and space within their plots and many have given time and energy into weeding and watering the donation plots.
“We have had a truly amazing response to this new program, and we are very proud of our community gardeners for their overwhelming support!” she adds.
The program’s success was made possible through some ingenuitive thinking on Ormson’s part. After sowing/planting all the ground space available at the Monkland Garden, there were many seeds and seedlings left over, and she was determined not to let them go to waste.
“I looked at the empty concrete pad and it suddenly came to me that that space could be used,” she says.
“I called (my husband) ‘Handyman Ron’ and had him bring all the big planters and pots we had under our deck at home, along with a big garden trellis we weren’t using, and we donated many containers of mushroom compost, and got some soil. I created another big space to grow a lot more produce for donation.”
Ormson adds they hope to create a similar space at the Lanark Garden next year but will need help to do so.
“We are always looking for donations of large planters, soil, compost, seeds and seedlings,” she says.
“As each garden plot tenant pays only $30/year annual fees, we simply do not have a large budget.”
To take part, learn more or donate to the Give to Grow Project, visit airdriehortsociety.com.
