Fresh produce grown at Salem’s Giving Garden is helping provide healthy, locally sourced food to individuals and families throughout the Roanoke Valley, and volunteers are needed as the busiest part of the harvest season approaches.
Nearly 600 pounds of fresh fruits, vegetables, berries and herbs have already been harvested and donated this year. All of the produce is provided free of charge.
The Giving Garden, founded 12 years ago, has relied on volunteers to grow and donate thousands of pounds of produce to the Salem/Roanoke County Food Pantry at 829 Indiana St. in Salem. Depending on the size of the harvest, additional produce also has been donated to Meals on Wheels, Friendship House and the Presbyterian Community Center.
No gardening experience is necessary to volunteer. Tools and instruction are provided, and adults, families and groups are welcome.
The garden is located between the Salem Farmers Market parking lot and the Salem Presbyterian Church parking lot off East Clay Street. Work sessions are held on the first and third Saturdays beginning around 8:30 a.m. and the second and fourth Wednesdays beginning around 6 p.m.
Those interested in volunteering can drop in during any work session. For more information, email or visit salemgivinggarden.org.
The garden is supported by a network of volunteers and community partners. Regular volunteers include Julie and Buster Mowles, Mike Wenzel, Dorothy Cleary, Lindsay Carroll, Kelly and Adam Shores, and Teresa Auldridge. Other volunteers also participate when their schedules allow.
Isaac Campbell, Salem Farmers Market manager, has helped promote and support the garden. Salem Presbyterian Church provides the land and ongoing funding, while the City of Salem provides water.
Farmers Market vendors have donated heirloom seeds and plants, while the Virginia Cooperative Extension has provided seeds, materials and advice. The garden also provides individuals working toward their Master Gardener certification with an opportunity to earn required volunteer hours.
As the seasons change, the Roanoke Valley Master Gardeners will present two free gardening workshops in partnership with the Giving Garden and the Salem Farmers Market.
The workshops will be held in the Giving Garden, or inside Salem Presbyterian Church in case of inclement weather.
The first workshop, “Fall Gardening and Extending the Harvest,” will be held Sept. 19 at 10 a.m. Participants will learn how to transition a garden from summer to fall.
The second workshop, “Putting the Garden to Bed: Cleanup and Soil Care,” will be held Oct. 17 at 10 a.m. The workshop will focus on end-of-season cleanup and soil care to prepare the garden for the following year.
The workshops are free and open to anyone interested in learning more about gardening.
-The Salem Times-Register
