Gardening Support!!

The snow is melted and the soil is ready… it’s gardening season once again! Registration is still open for Twin Cities residents who are interested in joining the Local Food Resource Hubs, where they can connect with other gardeners in the community and get access to low-cost seeds and plants. The Local Food Resource Hubs will hold five seed and seedling distribution events across Minneapolis and St. Paul neighborhoods on Saturday, May 17:

-Northside Minneapolis: 9am-noon, Redeemer Center for Life (1800 Glenwood Ave N)

-Northeast Minneapolis: 1-4pm, Grace Center for Community Life and Little Kitchen Food Shelf (1500 6^th St NE), alongside the Art-a-Whirl activities- bring the kids!

-Southside Minneapolis: 9am-noon, Minneapolis American Indian Center (1530 E Franklin Ave)

-St. Paul Midway: 9am-noon, Gordon Parks High School (1212 University Ave W)

-East Side St. Paul: 9am-noon, First Covenant Church (1280 Arcade)

If residents are unable to attend the event closest to their homes on the 17^th, they may come to the ALTERNATE pickup: Monday, May 19^th, 6-8pm at Grace Center for Community Life and Little Kitchen Food Shelf (1500 6^th St NE). Gardening Matters cannot guarantee the quantity and variety of plants available at this event.

The Local Food Resource Hubs are neighborhood networks of gardeners. The Hubs program is intended to provide home gardeners and community gardeners the support they need to grow, preserve, cook and compost their own fresh produce by offering supplies, educational opportunities, and community connections in their neighborhood. The Local Food Resource Hubs program benefits neighborhoods by building community and increasing access to healthy food.

Residents can join the Local Food Resource Hubs program and select a small or medium garden package (larges packages are no longer available). Suggested prices vary by size, but the packages are “pay what you can.” To reserve a membership spot, residents can register at a seedling distribution event on May 17, download the membership form (in English or Spanish) and mail to Gardening Matters, or sign up online at www.gardeningmatters.org/hubs (online is preferred). Members then pick out which varieties of seeds and plants they want as the go through the line at the seedling distribution event.

  

This is the fourth year of the Local Food Resource Hubs program. This year the Hubs anticipate distributing more than 25,000 packets of seeds and 30,000 seedlings, an endeavor that requires MANY volunteers in order to run smoothly. Gardening Matters encourages Hub members, community members at large, corporate volunteer teams, etc. to sign up for a volunteer shift to help make the events happen. Shifts range from Friday morning to Monday evening, and times vary by site. View shifts and sign up on this form- http://bit.ly/1meSIp0 (which can be accessed from the Gardening Matters website: www.gardeningmatters.org), or call Gardening Matters at 612-821-2358 and staff can help find a time for any individual or group who is willing to lend a hand.