Community Corner
Maple Grove Gardeners Donate Fresh Produce
The green thumbs of Maple Grove Gardeners have produced thousands of pounds of fresh food for C.R.O.S.S. Foodshelf
On a warm, breezy morning Jean Campbell and Pat Gale arrive at ready to get dirty.
Armed with garden gloves and buckets the two head into the community garden, chatting and laughing as they walk through the acre and a half landscape full of veggies.
“Let’s start with the pole beans and then work our way down,” Campbell said to her friend of 25 years. The two flipped over their five gallon buckets, took a seat and started dropping handfuls of beans into another bucket.
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Both of the women have helped in the church’s community garden since it started last year. About 75 percent of the garden is communal space, where gardener’s work together to grow vegetables that are all donated to C.R.O.S.S. Food Shelf.
“We are members of the pole bean and beet teams,” Campbell explained. “So these are our babies for the season.”
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The gardener’s are split into teams. There are tomato teams, cabbage teams – the list goes on and on. It’s all an effort to make sure that all of the plants are cared for.
Last season, the community garden donated 8,000 pounds of fresh vegetables.
“When we donate the produce, that’s when I feel rewarded,” Campbell said.
“We’re so happy to be able to provide lovingly picked food to those who need it,” Gale added.
The Maple Grove church is growing so much produce, C.R.O.S.S. sends a truck to pick it up three times a week.
“We’re not sure how much we’ll donate this year, but we hope to top last year’s donations,” Campbell said.
Fresh produce isn’t the only thing coming from the garden, so are community connections.
“We were here last week and we started talking to people we hadn’t met before about a book that just came out,” Gale said. “It was so great and we wouldn’t have connected if it weren’t for the garden.”
Aside from the communal plot, there are others that individuals can use throughout the season. About 120 gardeners use the Life Garden. It's become such a popular endeavor that planning will start for next season as soon as this year's crops are harvested.
“I do think people are amazed at the gardens growth and at the amount of food we’re able to donate,” Campbell said. “I hope the interest continues.”
The Life Garden is open the public and is located just of Highway 101 in Maple Grove on the Lord of Life Lutheran Church grounds.
