“Our goal is to build community within the gardens,” said Christina Thompson, Community & Economic Development Coordinator for Shelby. What started in May of 2008 as a project to build community and feed the hungry through gardening, has blossomed. The garden began with three gardeners and now has over 40 gardeners and a flourishing 56,000-square-foot garden.
The Shelby Community Gardens is located at 133 North Gamble and Thompson said the project “has grown exponentially.” In 2010, Christina became involved with the program and has witnessed the growth first hand. “This year we plan to make it more about community and working together,” said Thompson.
The response was so encouraging that the Marvin Memorial Library, located at 29 West Whitney Avenue in Shelby, started a gardeners’ group discussion. The group meets every Monday at 4 p.m. and covers topics like canning, critter and insect problems, soil tips as well as ways to resolve gardening issues as they arise.
This year, the project is implementing the ‘Planting a Row for the Hungry’. The cause works in partnership with the First Lutheran Church, 33 Broadway Street, Shelby and will donate directly to their food pantry and along with the First United Methodist Church, 18 South Gamble Street, donating food for the free community dinners they serve every Thursday from 6-7 p.m.
Various sectors of the community have become involved in the project. The Shelby FFA donates use of their equipment for the gardeners. The land is provided for free by the city of Shelby and this year they also plan to provide free water as well. Richland County Solid Waste donated two truckloads of compost this year. “This year we hope to convert the concession stand into a tool shed”, Christina said. “ You can also find us on Facebook”.
With every new year, the size of the garden grows. The vision to provide for those in need is met by the growth of participation within the community itself. “People take their grand kids out there, it teaches them where our food comes from”, Christina said. “The garden has really helped the individual gardener, their family and the people and organizations they donate to.”
In addition to the corn, carrots and zucchini Shelby Community Gardens is planting an abundance of hope and generosity one row at a time.
For more information about the Shelby Community Gardens contact Christina Thompson at christinathompson@shelbyohio.org or call 419-347-5131