The harvest record of pounds of food produced by the Giving Garden of Kingston Farm and Garden Co-op is set to be broken in 2014.
In the previous highest-yield month, September 2013, more than 500 pounds of food was produced and delivered for local people struggling with food insecurity.
The record-breaking harvest is probably due to the high tunnel erected by volunteers last year, funded by a USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service grant, and possibly by a more favorable growing season than previous years. There is expectation of even more from the high tunnel in the future, as soil is amended for optimal production.
Kinley Deller, president of the Kingston Farm and Garden Co-op, said, “The Giving Garden has become the major project sponsored by the Co-op,” largely because it requires so many volunteer hours among an already busy group. This is an interesting development, since the Co-op “was established as a mechanism to provide support and structure for projects which aid local agriculture, local gardeners, and local livestock owners.”
They still support the community in those areas. But it’s a notable example of an organization encountering a need and finding the flexibility within themselves be taken in an important new direction.
ShareNet is deeply grateful for all they’ve poured into the Giving Garden, and for its wonderful harvests of organic, locally-grown food. It does not mean that produce needs have been met for the volume of clients we see, but along with smaller local growers and home gardeners who contribute, it means more than we’ve ever had before.
Most of the same small core group of volunteers who started the Giving Garden continue to be its drivers: Laura Lyon, Deller and Patti Pearson and their daughters Nara and Ameena, and Kathy Curry. This year, they lost long-time volunteer Aline Bradley, who moved to Japan. Current helpers include Pedro “Pete” Diaz, Andy and Nile Clark, Florence and David Garretson, and Maia Curry-Hughes.
They would also like to thank Raising Organic Family Farms for a $500 grant to build a rabbit-resistant fence; Ardelle Rein and Roger Jackson, who arranged for tractor loading and provide composted manure; and Don for the tiller.
Deller acknowledges the volunteer shortage: “We would love to have additional volunteers. Even a single day a month would be very helpful.” Despite some good efforts by their own group and ShareNet to attract volunteers, the shortage remains. If any of our readers can give any time to this project, please contact the Giving Garden via www.growkingston.org/Giving-Garden.html. You can also view a very interesting chart there of production to date.
Other needs of the group: a shed for tool and irrigation supply storage, with a refrigeration unit for preservation and a cool, dry, dark area for potatoes, onions, and squash (ShareNet has no additional storage for larger harvests); a dedicated structure for hay; small and medium-sized wheelbarrows; materials for constructing raised beds (lumber, nails, screws, compost); well-aired organic feed sacks or other large paper or mesh sacks for potato storage.
You can support the Co-op and, through the Giving Garden, hungry folks in the community, by volunteering or becoming a Co-op member. Non Co-op members are welcome at garden activities but membership benefits include: great deals on organically-managed, certified weed-free Yakima hay and seed, the Hand Tool Loan inventory, and camaraderie with a group of genuine givers.
— Mark Ince is executive director of ShareNet. Call 360-297-2266. ShareNet is located at 26061 United Road, Kingston. The food bank is open Tuesday and Friday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.The thrift store is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
