A rewarding volunteer initiative flourishing

Three years ago, the town’s Communities in Bloom Committee took over a small square of garden tucked away behind the NOTL Public Library.

Members of the committee, and others interested in gardening, plant, tend and harvest a range of produce to be shared locally, chiefly with farm workers and Newark Neighbours’ food bank, says Vicky Downes, chair of the Communities in Bloom Committee.

In 2019, in its first season and pre-pandemic, there was a market stand at the library, and may be again once restrictions are lifted, says Downes.

The rewarding feeling of doing something they love while helping to fill an important need in NOTL is motivating volunteers to work in the garden several days a week, with sufficient produce this early in the season to make weekly donations to the food bank.

Its success inspired the committee to double the size of the garden for this year, from 20 feet by 20 feet to 40 feet by 20 feet, Downes says, allowing for more vegetables to be planted, and a wider variety of choices that will offer produce to be harvested right up until October.

“Everything in the garden is doing superbly well,” she says. 

“It’s a wonderful community project.”

The garden has been supported from the beginning by Ravine Estate Vineyard Winery with cash donations, and by Seaway Gardens, which provides many of the vegetable plants for the gardens, she adds.

At the moment, Newark Neighbours is receiving donations of spinach, kale, Swiss chard, herbs and rhubarb. Soon there will be zucchini, “tons of peppers,” tomatoes, garlic and green onions, and a little later, carrots, beets, squash and potatoes, among other vegetables.

Newark food bank manager Cindy Grant says clients very much appreciate the wonderful variety of produce from the community garden. “It is such a treat to be able to offer fresh veggies and herbs to them on a regular basis.”

As much as Newark Neighbours loves having fresh produce to distribute, says Downes, the volunteers love the work they’re doing to provide it.

The amount of produce the garden generates depends on Mother Nature, she adds, “and whatever she gives us, we’ll take.”

A rewarding volunteer initiative is flourishing in Niagara-on-the-Lake, providing fresh produce for the needy of the community.

Three years ago, the town’s Communities in Bloom Committee took over a small square of garden tucked away behind the NOTL Public Library.

Members of the committee, and others interested in gardening, plant, tend and harvest a range of produce to be shared locally, chiefly with farm workers and Newark Neighbours’ food bank, says Vicky Downes, chair of the Communities in Bloom Committee.

In 2019, in its first season and pre-pandemic, there was a market stand at the library, and may be again once restrictions are lifted, says Downes.

The rewarding feeling of doing something they love while helping to fill an important need in NOTL is motivating volunteers to work in the garden several days a week, with sufficient produce this early in the season to make weekly donations to the food bank.

Its success inspired the committee to double the size of the garden for this year, from 20 feet by 20 feet to 40 feet by 20 feet, Downes says, allowing for more vegetables to be planted, and a wider variety of choices that will offer produce to be harvested right up until October.

“Everything in the garden is doing superbly well,” she says. 

“It’s a wonderful community project.”

The garden has been supported from the beginning by Ravine Estate Vineyard Winery with cash donations, and by Seaway Gardens, which provides many of the vegetable plants for the gardens, she adds.

At the moment, Newark Neighbours is receiving donations of spinach, kale, Swiss chard, herbs and rhubarb. Soon there will be zucchini, “tons of peppers,” tomatoes, garlic and green onions, and a little later, carrots, beets, squash and potatoes, among other vegetables.

Newark food bank manager Cindy Grant says clients very much appreciate the wonderful variety of produce from the community garden. “It is such a treat to be able to offer fresh veggies and herbs to them on a regular basis.”

As much as Newark Neighbours loves having fresh produce to distribute, says Downes, the volunteers love the work they’re doing to provide it.

The amount of produce the garden generates depends on Mother Nature, she adds, “and whatever she gives us, we’ll take.”