Elk Grove community garden helping grow community along with fresh produce
ELK GROVE — A community garden in Elk Grove has been feeding families in need for nearly twenty years.
"It's not just a box, it's a community," said Stefani Dawkins. "I love it."
It's a garden for the community, created by the community.
"This is our happy place," said board member Kim Pittman.
The Elk Grove Community Garden first planted its roots in 2004. A group of volunteers has been cultivating this space ever since.
They provide a place to garden for all ages through free classes.
"We're not just here to help you with your garden, we will teach you, we will share – and we are here to help you," Dawkins said. "We are a community here at this community garden."
Families can rent plots to grow their own fresh produce.
"You're able to fellowship with people you normally would not come in contact with, so the garden is a rainbow full of people," Pittman said.
With every seed that grows, so does their contribution to families in need.
The group harvests and donates approximately 5,000 pounds of food each year to the Elk Grove Food Bank.
"And so it's just about giving back," Pittman said.
With food prices growing in recent months, this crop-filled community corner is more fruitful than ever before.
"If you can plant your garden, sew in with your kids and show them how to harvest, they will never go hungry," Pittman said.
There are garden plots available now. Anyone who would like to rent a box or volunteer, head to ElkGroveCommunityGarden.org.
Elk Grove Boy Scout Troop 118 just built a brand new greenhouse to help sustain their seedlings year-round. A ribbon cutting ceremony for the new building on Saturday, Feb. 25 at 10 a.m.
The garden is about 500 pounds short of its goal for the food bank. So now they are asking the community to bring cans of food to this weekend's event.
