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St. Joseph Editi Edition o Reaching South Bend And Surrounding Counties
www.seniorlifenewspapers.com
Vol. 35, 3 , No. 4
Unity Gardens — Food for the picking 3KRWRV DQG 7H[W %\ /2,6 720$6=(:6., There’s an old nursery rhyme that asks,“How does your garden grow?” At Unity Gardens, the gardens grow with lots of love and labor. “Unity Gardens is not a community garden,” explained Executive Director Sara Stewart. “The difference is that community gardens usually consist of a group of plots rented out for individuals to grow their vegetables in. They sprout vegetables and friendships, and it is quite nice. “Unity Gardens is a cultural value shift where everyone grows food that is free pick for all,” she explained. “Like edible parks, where the general public is welcome, Unity Gardens has unencumbered access to fresh food and nurturing green space.” The garden site at 3701 Prast Blvd., known as the LaSalle Square Unity Garden, is on land owned by the organization. Stewart said there are more than 40 other Unity Gardens in various communities, all providing access to fresh produce, green space and community. At the Prast Boulevard site, which also serves as the organization’s welcome center and classroom, peppers, eggplant, tomatoes, mustard and turnip greens thrive in garden plots alongside kale, zucchini and yellow squash. There are even spices and fruit trees. All of the produce is for the community, said staff member and volunteer, Jonathan Gonzalez. “I tell people, ‘This is your garden; we just take care of it for you,’” he said. Volunteers are vital to the garden’s success. Stewart, a former nurse educator at St. Mary’s College, appreciates the efforts of her volunteers, from the seniors citizens the seniors in college and everyone in between.
“Volunteers are critical to our work,” Stewart said. “Gardening is labor intensive, to say the least.” Ken Bradford is one of the group of volunteers and spends part of his Tuesday at the site. He has been volunteering for about seven years. Although he has volunteered for other organizations, working in the gardens gives him a sense of accomplishment, he said. Clearing the land or planting seeds is a visible representation of the hard work, unlike the efforts of other types of volunteer work. “Here you can see how much progress you have made,” Bradford said. Caroline Hughes agreed. But it goes beyond that, according to her. “Food is such a fundamental issue,” she said. “Having a community resource like this is helping unify, creating a healthy community around food awareness.” The organization has volunteers helping about four to five days a week, Stewart said. Most of this work takes place in the gardens and help is needed all year long, not just in the growing season. One particular focus is the accessible garden, which is currently under construction. Some of the features are becoming visible, such as the patchwork decorative concrete pavers and the strawberry planting tower. It will connect the Unity Garden Welcome Center, restrooms, the outdoor classroom and kitchen and parking lot, improving access for people of limited mobility, including seniors or those in wheelchairs. About $3,000 has been raised so far toward the accessibility garden, Stewart said, with fundraising efforts continuing. The garden will be part of the LaSalle Square garden off Prast Boulevard. To volunteer, show up at the Prast Boulevard site from 9 a.m. to noon Tuesdays, or send an email to growunitygardens@yahoo.com. To reach Stewart, text or call her at (574) 3154361. To learn more about Unity Gardens, visit www.theunitygardens.org or Facebook. Mail monetary donations to: Unity Gardens, P.O. Box 10022, South Bend IN, 46680.
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