Exciting Visit to Duke Farms Garden

Thrilling to see everything beginning to grow at the Duke Farms Garden!  This is about two weeks after planting seeds.

      Carrots

 

Onions

 

Radishes

 

 Beets

 

 Early Jersey Tomato Planting

 

  The Strawberry Patch

 

 

 

 

 

Jessica

 

       

 

    

The Food Bank Network of Somerset County

Ever since I was a small child, I remember volunteering on varying levels at our local Food Bank.  A food bank, is a non-profit, charitable organization that distributes food to those who have difficulty purchasing enough food to avoid hunger.  The mission of  the Food Bank Network of Somerset County is to distribute food and provide other basic human needs to those less fortunate in our community in a manner recognizing and advancing self-worth and human dignity.  The ultimate goal is for each person to become self-sufficient. 

The Food Bank operates on the "warehouse" model. The main warehouse in Bound Brook stores and distributes depots for smaller food pantries and other agencies, as well as distributing directly to the public. After the food is collected, sorted, and reviewed for quality, the food bank distributes it to non-profit community or government agencies,  including the BackPack program. 

Did you know the Food Bank Network of Somerset County distributes food to more than 24,000 Somerset County residents each year!! To do this huge job, the Food Bank counts on the support of staff members and numerous volunteers who give their time and donations to help the Food Bank continue working towards its goals.  Some of the jobs you can volunteer to do include; sorting donated food items, packaging food deliveries, and working in local food pantries distributing food to clients.  Over the years I have volunteered in all these capacities and more. 

This year I am thrilled to be able to donate fresh organic produce from my gardens to the Food Bank.  You can do it too-follow along and see how easy and rewarding it is!

 

That's me on the bottom sorting at the Bound Brook warehouse.

 

 

Peace, Peace, Peace,

Jessica

 

 

 

Welcome to the first in my series of gardening blogs

Welcome!  My name is Jessica and I am a Sophomore in High School.  I want to share this amazing journey I am on and shout about it from the roof tops - glad it made it to you!!  My Girl Scout Gold Award project involves creating two sustainable, organic gardens, from which all of the harvest will be donated to The Food Bank Network of Somerset County.  I have partnered with my Temple family in this endeavor, and can't believe what a wonderful and FUN experience this has been so far. 

I began planning all the way back in December, gaining permissions for the two garden plots, and obtaining a generous donation of 100 seed packets from High Mowing Organic Seeds, www.highmowingseeds.com. 

Next I needed to learn everything I could about Organic Gardening.  I read the book the Vegetable Gardeners Bible, by Edward Smith.  I also took several courses at Duke Farms on seed starting, soil, organic gardening, and beneficial insects in the garden. 

With the help of my Project Advisor, we organized a Gardening Committee at the Temple, looking for others to help make our gardens a success.  I began educating Temple students and Girl Scout Troops about the projects importance to the environment and our community, as well as ways that they could help.

After months of planning we began getting our hands dirty.  The gardens were tilled, compost was added, paths were created from wood chips, raised beds were fabricated and finally the seeds and plants went into the earth.

Plants we germinated from seeds

 

Our first look at plot 39C, Duke Farms

 

Getting our plot ready for planting was hard work.

Yippee, I did it, with some help, what a great feeling to see things taking shape.

 

 

 

Spreading the word

 

 

Girl Scouts helping set up the Temple Garden

 

Vicki, my Supervisor and I enjoying the moment!

 

 

Thank you for checking out my Blog, in the coming days and weeks, I want to share with you the good work going on at the Food Bank, all about Organic Gardening, how to start seeds, The Square Foot gardening method, the dirt on soil, and the rest of my Gold Award journey. 

Peace, Peace, Peace,

Jessica