By Angela Brown

Midwest Food Resources community garden project flourishing

Jul 22, 2022 | 3:00 PM

NORTH BATTLEFORD, Sask. — The third project for the Midwest Food Resources (MFR) community garden is coming in nicely since it was started last year.

Executive director, Vesna Fa, said the weather has been ideal this summer, which has been good for growth.

Many different non-profit organizations are using this garden, such as Kids First, the Battlefords Immigration Resource Centre, and the local homeless shelter.

“Whoever is in need of any vegetables they can come and we will be glad to share some,” Fa said.

The third garden was founded in 2020 through a donation from Brian and Kathy Feldman, in memory of their son Charles, through MAZON Canada and the Jewish community. The City of North Battleford provided the property for the initiative and support to develop the land for the garden. Midwest Food Resources leases the land from the city for the effort.

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Those using the garden have been able to grow a variety of fruits and vegetables, including what are known as Three Sisters plants – squash, pumpkin, and beans – that are progressing well. These plants can be grown together in a type of symbiotic relationship, which helps discourage weeds.

“We have zucchini, and we subdivided some land because there was such a huge interest,” Fa added.

As far as challenges go, hauling water for the garden is one of the biggest difficulties. There are also some issues with gophers but Fa said that’s not a major problem.

Midwest Food Resources first garden project continues to be used by participating local residents to grow vegetables each year. Two refugee families from Ukraine are also accessing the garden this year.

“Everybody is welcome to come and apply, and we’ll try to find you a small plot,” Fa said.

The second garden is used for the Midwest Food Resources’ Fresh Food Box program.

Coming up in September, plans are to hold a pumpkin festival at the MFR community gardens, with a contest for the biggest pumpkin and squash, as well as some live music. Fa said the committee is just starting to work out the details of the event but she is looking forward to it.

“It should be lots of fun,” she said. “Hopefully, it is going to be a huge thing that will grow into something annual.”

Overall, Fa said the three community gardens are all looking good and flourishing.

“Everything is going great. We had enough rain this year. There was lots of help, and lots of seeds donated from Peavey Mart,” she said.

“Last year the students were joking that the Peavey Mart donated so much seed that it we can support life on Mars,” Fa said with a laugh.

She is touched by the amount of community support for the project.

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW