Planting at the ISD Garden!

Ionia Kids Club Members finished up the planting of the Ionia ISD Garden today!  Most of the garden was planted by staff and students who were excited to get outdoors away from their regular work and work as a team to put up the fence and plant the vegetables inside the garden.  Kids Club Members planted potatoes and onions outside the fence and added a row of sunflower seeds all the way around the fence.  ISD staff Bob Kjolhede and Cathy Miller greeted the volunteers to discuss planting plans. ISD AmeriCorps VISTA, Tamice Gates is the Garden Coordinator and will be working with Summer School Groups to maintain the garden.

The ISD Garden has been planned by the "Green Committee" in an attempt to improve the environment, provide an outdoor classroom, and produce fresh vegetables that will be distributed through local food pantries.  Members of the Community Food Network worked with the Green Committee to write a grant for "Katies Krops" which awarded $400 gift cards to our local Tractor Supply which in turn is giving the ISD a discounted price on items purchased.  Garden tools and signage, provided by the Community Food Network, were purchased from grants including the Volunteer Generation Fund held by the United Way Montcalm-Ionia Counties and the Blue Cross/Blue Shield Grant received by Sparrow Ionia 4 years ago.  

The Community Food Network is the planning group that works together to bring additional grants and resources into Montcalm and Ionia Counties to support their mission of increased access to healthy, locally grown produce to the community.  Of the 15 gardens registered with the Community Food Network this year, most provide fresh produce to local food pantries and soup kitchens.  The others provide food directly to the volunteers and serve as an educational garden for all ages.  Most community gardens and food pantries rely solely on volunteers and local support!  To learn more about the Community Food Network or other gardens in the network visit our main website at http://www.ioniahost.com/garden/  or check out the calendar to find a work day near you.