MISSOULA - Warmer days are hopefully around the corner, but if you’re looking to get your garden going while there’s still snow on the ground, then look no further than Garden City Harvest (GCH).
“Garden City Harvest is a non-profit that is focused on community-based agriculture,” GCH community education coordinator Alex Brown shared.
GCH has been providing local and sustainable produce to Missoulians in need since 1996. There are four neighborhood farms, elementary school garden farmers, 11 different community gardens, and a variety of education programs.
“We are trying to bring more workshops to the public to teach folks about growing their own vegetables, preserving their own food, and also cooking local food,” said Brown.
So, what impacts does growing your own vegetables have?
“Growing your own food, I think at a personal level is very empowering. It can be very economical, folks can save money by growing their own food," Brown explained. "It also can improve your health, just the act of growing food. Gardening is a physical activity and then you’re also likely eating a lot more vegetables if you have grown them yourself.”
How does gardening vegetables help the larger community?
“In terms of just carbon emissions, it’s hugely beneficial to be growing and eating locally. And if you can’t grow your own food, even consuming food that’s grown in Missoula, it’s supporting local farmers which is supporting our local economy,” Brown continued.
Money stays circulating in Missoula by growing and eating locally.
People got their hands dirty on Wednesday night while learning how to start their gardens from seeds.
“I liked the opportunity to actually plant a start here with the oversight of the people that work here to make sure I'm doing it right. So it was great to actually go through the process hands-on,” participant Kylie Schumacher exclaimed.
Schumacher shared with MTN that this is her first time starting her garden from scratch and she is looking forward to the next few workshops in the six-part series.
Leaving with her soon-to-be vegetables, Schumacher happily said, "I'm excited to actually see the first little green sprouts coming out for sure. Any successful plant grown is a reason to celebrate for me... Oh man, I never thought I'd be so excited to garden but I really love the time I get to spend outside. It's kind of cathartic, it helps my mental health just to be out in the garden."
Visit https://www.gardencityharvest.org to join any of the upcoming GCH programs.
