Sheilah Britton
On a recent visit to the community garden, I was pleased to see an array of bins overflowing with ripening tomatoes hanging from four-foot plants; slender zucchini growing beneath healthy, green leaves; purple chard; fragrant herbs; and more. For the past seven weeks these bins, all bearing signs of assignation to IMPACT Food Bank of Southern Arizona, have been filled with the best soil, fertilizer, and compost, then planted and tended by more than 18 volunteers working to provide fresh, organic produce for our neighbors in need.
George Van Ess, along with his wife, Melody, took on the project this summer and were able to procure 10 empty bins by contacting Mike Taylor, SaddleBrooke Ranch (SBR) General Manager, who took the proposal to Robson, the developer of SBR. “As a gardener, I saw the unused raised beds as a great opportunity to support IMPACT of Southern Arizona with much needed fresh vegetables,” he recalls. Once he had the bins he began making calls to local businesses and found many others who thought growing fresh vegetables for those in need to be a neighborly idea.
The Harvest Garden extends its gratitude to these generous businesses that have donated the following:
Home Depot—watering timers and fence post
Ace Hardware, Catalina— soil, fertilizer, and soaker hoses
Marks Ace Hardware—soaker hoses and shade cloth
Harlow Gardens—seed packs
ARBICO Organics—compost
Tractor Supply Catalina—metal frames for shade cloth
Many SBR residents also made generous donations to purchase plants and supplies for the garden.
Van Ess sought out a worthy recipient, IMPACT of Southern Arizona, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and member of the AZ Charitable Tax Credit Coalition. The food bank will be receiving donations of fresh vegetables and herbs throughout the growing seasons. Barbara McClure, Executive Director for IMPACT, was excited to partner on the project. On average, she reports, they have been serving 800 different families each month, “January through October of this year we’ve served 1,747 households representing 5,300 individuals.” With food costs rising every month, the gift of fresh produce will offer healthy options to our neighbors’ meals.
SaddleBrooke Harvest Garden, the project collaboration between SBR and IMPACT, further extends the Ranch’s community support and ethos.“The Ranch gardens will definitely have a meaningful impact on local families this fall and winter season,” says McClure. “What a blessing.”
Donations to support this project can be sent to IMPACT of Southern Az with SBR Harvest on the Memo line of your check.