Following a bountiful first growing season, the group behind a unique community garden in Penticton is hoping to produce even more food — and green thumbs — this summer.
Last year’s haul from the Salvation Army garden on Martin Street added up to about 550 kilograms, all of it lovingly raised by a group of 38 volunteers, said program co-ordinator Barb Stewart.
“We’d wash it all up, bag it up right there, bring it in coolers to the food bank when the doors opened at 1 p.m., and by 1:30 p.m the fresh produce was gone,” she said. “The people just loved it.”
Besides giving away the veggies, including carrots, potatoes, eggplants, beans and mixed greens, the Salvation Army also routed some of the produce to its community kitchen, where food bank clients learn how to prepare healthy meals.
“So when it comes full circle like that, with the produce coming into the kitchen and a lot of the same people being involved, then you’ve got nutrition education hands-on,” said Stewart.
She is hoping a few more people will sign on to help this year. The current crops of volunteers ranges from young people, who want to learn how to grow food on their balconies, to veteran gardeners, who simply want to pass on their knowledge.
Emmett Goose began helping out after taking a college-level horticultural course that he wanted to supplement by raising plants in the real world.
“Doing it with the Salvation Army just gave me more hands-on experience with it,” Goose said.
Shy-Anne Kruger was drawn to the garden’s mission to give back.
“The Salvation Army shares with the community, it shares with young people that are learning to garden, old people that have skills they can pass on,” she said.
“It’s social development.”
Production in the garden, which is owned by a medical research clinic that operates out of a building on the same property, is overseen by Carol Allen, president of the Penticton Community Garden Society.
“We did a lot of improvements to the site last year, so it’s really intriguing to see what we’re going to be able to accomplish this year,” said Allen, whose society operates the larger community garden on Vancouver Hill.
Stewart said that in addition to volunteer support, the Salvation Army garden has also received help from a variety of businesses, including Bartlett Tree Experts, Rona, P&E Lumber, West Coast Seeds, Boston Pizza, as well as the City of Penticton.
“It’s just been absolutely amazing the community support for growing for the food bank,” she said.