YORK—
The Coastal Clovers 4-H club kicked off the 2010 Foods for Families project on April 25 with a meeting at Coastal Landscaping and Garden Center. Owners David and Carol Bridges open the doors each year and donate surplus seedlings. The kids meet in one of the many greenhouses and fill trays with soil and then transplant the seedlings. From there the seedlings will be held in a small hot house for the next few weeks. Then the kids will get together at Zach’s Farm and plant them into the ground where they will mature and be harvested for local food pantries.
Last season the kids grew nearly 4,000 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables for local food pantries. Club leader Russ Osgood said, “With the help of local business like Coastal Landscaping & Garden Center, Zach’s Farm, and the many donations we receive we have been able to produce enough fresh produce to feed over 50 families. We are pleased that we can partner with so many great people.”
The club is planning on adding early and late season crops this year too. The club received a Harvest Fund Grant from Maine Initiatives for hoops and covers that will allow the club to grow crops that like a warmer climate. “We plan on growing things like sweet potatoes this year and this grant will help make that possible,” Osgood said.
With the hundreds of seedlings started and the many early season crops already in their raised beds the pantry should be seeing donations by mid May.
Photo caption: The Coastal Clovers 4-H Club kicked off this year’s Foods for Families effort on April 25. (Courtesy photo)
The Coastal Clovers 4-H club kicked off the 2010 Foods for Families project on April 25 with a meeting at Coastal Landscaping and Garden Center. Owners David and Carol Bridges open the doors each year and donate surplus seedlings. The kids meet in one of the many greenhouses and fill trays with soil and then transplant the seedlings. From there the seedlings will be held in a small hot house for the next few weeks. Then the kids will get together at Zach’s Farm and plant them into the ground where they will mature and be harvested for local food pantries.
Last season the kids grew nearly 4,000 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables for local food pantries. Club leader Russ Osgood said, “With the help of local business like Coastal Landscaping & Garden Center, Zach’s Farm, and the many donations we receive we have been able to produce enough fresh produce to feed over 50 families. We are pleased that we can partner with so many great people.”
The club is planning on adding early and late season crops this year too. The club received a Harvest Fund Grant from Maine Initiatives for hoops and covers that will allow the club to grow crops that like a warmer climate. “We plan on growing things like sweet potatoes this year and this grant will help make that possible,” Osgood said.
With the hundreds of seedlings started and the many early season crops already in their raised beds the pantry should be seeing donations by mid May.
Photo caption: The Coastal Clovers 4-H Club kicked off this year’s Foods for Families effort on April 25. (Courtesy photo)
