Harvest Green - Farm Club Growth Nearly Doubles

Having access to a local supply of fresh produce is one of the many things that make life at Harvest Green special. Our residents can choose a variety of ways to put those vegetables on the table, but lately more and more of them are choosing to join the Farm Club.

The Farm Club allows our residents to rent in-ground farm plots in which to grow their own vegetables and herbs under the tutelage of our Farm Educators. Membership in the club has nearly doubled from 26 to 46 families since March.

Residents have many reasons for joining but the pandemic and resulting quarantine seems to have been a contributing factor.

The Williams family is one of them.

“We have been wanting to join for years, but between pregnancies and infancy stages of two kids it just didn’t work for our family,” Stacey Williams said. “The pandemic definitely put some perspective on where we get our food.  If we can grow it and eat it and avoid the store a little more, why not?  I wanted to teach my children where their food comes from. Life outside the grocery store!”

Williams, her husband Justin and children Addison and Silas are growing watermelon, cucumber, cantaloupe, okra and sweet potatoes.

They are enjoying the time they spend together.

“They love being out there and picking veggies and helping me water the plot,” Williams said. “I spend the most time out there. It is my therapy. I love having my hands in the soil and creating something from scratch.”

Not all families want to join the club, but having access to fresh, locally grown produce has become more and more important to them. We’ve seen increases in the number of people browsing our weekly farmers market and joining our CSA, as well.

Other residents have been growing vegetables and herbs in backyard gardens, too. To support them, our Farm Educators have shifted to offering their farm and gardening classes virtually via Zoom.

Growing vegetables, encouraging a healthy lifestyle and harvesting happiness is what we do here at Harvest Green. Pay us a visit. You might be growing your own vegetables soon.

• 
•