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| From the Field
The busy season is here, and we’re thrilled to be back in the gardens three days/week, out at the CPA twice/week, and at the Athens Farmers Market every Wednesday and Saturday! While the busy season is a return to “routine” operations on one hand, on the other, the busy season also means we get to meet & welcome many new people as we host volunteers and interns. These individuals do far more than lend a helping hand -- they expand CFI’s network, deepen community connections, bring their own unique ideas and expertise to CFI, and then take their CFI experience with them when they go. It is so inspiring to talk with volunteers who time and again say they are seeking experience with CFI because they want to get involved with food justice, environmental justice, and social justice. Even more inspiring is the fact that many of these volunteers move on from CFI to pursue careers working in food justice in some way, whether through public health, community resilience, or sustainable and equitable food systems. Check out photos below of the work that’s happening thanks to collaborations and volunteers, and contact us to get involved!
Asparagus & strawberries,
The CFI team
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| What's Up In Our Gardens
We wrapped up this year’s garden giveaway events with our plant start giveaway in early May, and have planted our Donation Station plots! Community members are already donating some of their harvest, including the most amazing & gorgeous strawberries …
We’re also excited to be trying out a larger Donation Station plot generously provided by Rick Vest at Vest Berries. This plot will be an opportunity to raise more food for Donation Station, and will provide ample volunteer and learning opportunities for folks interested in farming/gardening. See photos below!
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| CFI & Community Collaborations
Veggie Van is connecting with communities! Thanks to collaborations with Rural Action & their Local Food for All fundraiser, we’ll be able to share ~360 free shares of amazing, local, healthy produce with folks facing food insecurity in Coolville, Nelsonville, and Glouster. Veggie Van is also accepting TANF coupons issued through Produce Perks to increase accessibility, and we coordinated with CFI's Nourishing Networks project recipient Rachel Gratz to make one amazing Friday event, her garden build-a-box project taking place while Veggie Van was at Glouster Memorial Park. Collaborations like this bring us closer to our goal of truly serving entire communities.
Donation Station collaborations are deepening community connections, too. We’re assisting with the TANF coupon administration at the Athens Farmers Market, and participating in the Neighbor Loaves initiative headed up by Rural Action. Families can receive TANF coupons with no wait period, and can use the coupons for fruits and veggies at market. Neighbor Loaves is promoting buy-one-share-one in our community and connecting local businesses & customers with those facing food insecurity.
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| What Else?
Want to help the CFI garden grow? Visit our website for information about our programming and to see how you can help. Thank you!
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