Grow And Share Helps Get Gardeners Growing, or Helps Them Become Gardeners, to Increase the Local Food Supply
Released by Grow And Share, Raleigh NC
Over the next few weeks, tens of thousands of vegetable, herb, and fruit plants will be given away by Grow And Share Volunteers. Gardeners who would like to receive free plants are asked to sign the nonprofit’s “Pledge To Share” and grow more than their household needs — giving the extra to “neighbors, strangers, or food banks” to help to feed their community.
Grow And Share operates on individual and corporate donations alone, with no federal or state funding. Supplies are donated by seed and soil companies and individuals. Volunteers provide the hands-in-the-dirt for sowing seeds, transplanting seedlings, and giving away garden-ready plants.
Grow And Share’s plants are started in the Tucker Greenhouse, a 30 x 40 structure donated by Clyde and Marguerite Tucker of Zebulon NC. The greenhouse was was operated out of Zebulon for its first few years, and and relocated to Raleigh in 2015. This is the second season growing in Raleigh. The Grow and Share Tucker greenhouse is located at 4013 Brown Place, in Raleigh NC. This location is just around the corner from the Capitol Boulevard / 401 split. There, it is overseen by Greenhouse Manager Linda Gaskins.
If you’re a gardener wishing to expand your current growing, or you want a garden but cannot afford to set it up, check out Grow And Share. Grow And Share’s volunteers are part of a large, welcoming community of gardeners who want to work with you toward your food security goals.
Since 2008, a local organization has been educating local residents on an idea that is old, but new again. This idea is growing gardens to feed the household, plus extra to share with needy families and food banks. Many NC churches and food pantries accept fresh produce, and the Grow And Share gardeners donate thousands of pounds of produce each year.
Grow And Share plants a variety of vegetable and herb plants. These are taken care of in the Raleigh greenhouse until the Spring plant giveaways from late April and into May. Depending on the volunteering and growing conditions, each year Grow And Share gives away between 10,000 and 20,000 garden plants. This year, with many volunteers helping, the Tucker Greenhouse is practically overflowing!
The 2016 Garden Plant Giveaways are scheduled:
- April 22, 2016 – Raleigh NC – During an “Earth Day” event that runs noon until 8pm. The Garden Plant Giveaway will end when their plants are all gone, which will likely be long before the Earth Day event ends at 8pm. The giveaway, and Earth Day event, location is Whole Foods North Raleigh, which is in the Market At Colonnade, 8710 Six Forks Road, in Raleigh NC.
- April 23, 2016 – Wake Forest NC – This Garden Plant Giveaway is during the town Arbor Day event, 11am to about 3pm; however, the plant giveaway ends when the plants are gone, which could be well before 3pm. This event takes place in Wake Forest Joyner Park, located at 701 Harris Road, in Wake Forest NC. The Town will be handing out tree seedlings too.
- April 30, 2016 – Raleigh NC – This giveaway runs 10am until plants are gone, or until 3pm at the latest. This giveaway is at the Raleigh Rescue Mission Retail Store, 4700 Capital Boulevard, in Raleigh NC.
- May 7, 2016 – Wendell NC – This last-planned Garden Plant Giveaway is at Wendell Farmers Market’s opening day event, starting at 8am and ending when plants are gone or when the farmers market closes at noon. The Wendell Farmers Market is at 3700 Wendell Boulevard, in Wendell NC. (See flyer below, or visit the farmers market’s new website wendellncfm.org.)
For those who can afford to purchase their own plants, Grow And Share also encourages purchasing from local garden shops. Growing locally fights hunger by making fresh produce available to those in need, while spending money locally improves the local economy.
Grow And Share is a nonprofit fighting hunger from the ground upTM through gardening and community building. The nonprofit has been working since Fall 2008 to grow interest in gardening for home use, and grow interest–and passion–in creation of Shared GardensTM and Community Gardens in neighborhoods. The group has installed gardens at schools, businesses, and homes that were designed to provide food for more than one family.
To volunteers, visit Grow And Share’s Meetup group. If you agree with the Grow And Share mission, please consider volunteering. It is a great family activity, and students who need community service hours will find it a rewarding experience.
To join as a gardener, donor, or sponsor, email their greenhouse manager, visit their website, or check out updates on their Facebook Page.
