Grace Giving Garden

Grace Giving Garden (GGG) - Mary Alice Lodico, Jim Geenan and Emily Chatfield-Lusto have been the driving forces behind this project. Among many other activities they facilitate/supervise the training sessions, planting and harvesting . 
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This year the GGG grew a wide variety of lettuces, onions, Swiss chard, spinach and kale in the spring. Summer crops included more than 200 pounds of tomatoes, between 350-400 pounds of potatoes, 25 pounds of peppers, 50 pounds of green beans, plus smaller harvests of cucumbers, squash, sweet potatoes and radishes. Most produce was donated to the Food Pantry, plus the Pigeon Center and Meals on Wheels. Big Brothers, Big Sisters and the Arc gardeners harvested what they grew for themselves. One GGG volunteer was in the garden between 10:00 and 11:00 am to help pantry clients pick available produce. In 2017, GGG began to work closely with several organizations in Haywood County, including the Pigeon Center, Arc of Haywood, Meals on Wheels, Meridian Health, Lifespan and Big Brothers/Big Sisters. GGG also worked with the Pantry on a client education grant they received from ASAP. GGG taught three separate classes of children three times a week through the summer and covered beginning garden and earth stewardship topics and skills.
GGG continued the hardscape construction to include a high raised bed, two pathways, two tables, and one bench to accommodate people with mobility challenges. They added a 1000-gallon rainwater collection system and a teaching amphitheater to the footprint of the garden. The GGG received two grants from the Master Gardener Volunteer totaling $2100.00. The cistern was a gift arranged by the Haywood County Soil and Conservation office. Other donations have been made by Meals on Wheels, Lifespan, and some personal gifts given by the volunteers from the Church who are building and maintaining this wonderful garden. 

 

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