Brown County admires growth of community garden program on its 25th anniversary
GREEN BAY (WLUK) -- Brown County is celebrating the growth of its community gardens program.
On Thursday, the Brown County Extension Community Garden program marked 25 years.
Today the program has 250 gardeners attending to 400 plots in 12 gardens around the county. The program partners with landowners who have unused land. Community members can rent a plot during the growing season for a fee to raise produce.
The community garden program was started in 1996 to increase food security and decrease hunger in Brown County. The program continues to focus on these goals, with approximately 70% of current participants being low or moderate income. While majority of gardeners raise produce for household consumption, others sell or donate produce they raise.
Brown County executive Troy Steckenbach says helping each other out is what community gardening is all about.
“I was just hearing from this gentleman, that the amount of food that he re-donates back to the food pantries is absolutely heartwarming and it really brings to the fact that this as a community, as humanitarians, as neighbors, that’s what community gardens really represent," he said.
To mark the anniversary, residents planted a pollinator garden at the Green Bay Community Church garden site Thursday.
Officials say the pollinator garden will enhance the productivity of the nearby community garden.
