By Chaz Henderson
The garden for fresh produce to support the Pilgrim Food Pantry is well underway for 2018. We have expanded the number of raised garden beds at the backyard of Pilgrim off Starkweather Ave to six for this season … thanks to our good friend Tom Weardon for the construction work!
This year we have a request from a donor to our effort to grow Brussels sprouts and are excited to make that happen! We also would like to create one bed to provide perennial blossoms for the sanctuary. That bed has been built and we are hoping for suggestions from the very accomplished floral gardeners in the congregation … and planting donations, to make that possible. I am glad to water as needed, since we have the veggies to feed very regularly anyway! SUGGESTIONS & DONATIONS PLEEEEZ.
Last year our community’s garden provided 400lbs of fresh produce for the food pantry from early June through the beginning of November. According to the published OSU Extension report of community gardens throughout Cuyahoga County, it was the largest growth for donation of all the gardens reporting donations. Our community garden exists to feed the neighborhood, without their efforts. We are unique in that!
Seeds are in ground already for lettuces, greens, and beets … plant starts for the other veggies will come from OSU Extension the first weekend of June. I also have other seeds that I am starting at home, to fill it all out. And you will see some new floral surprises along the fence near the parking lot as well.
Wish us well on the coming season!