Hilary Davies has a passion for growing her own food wherever her travels may take her. Most recently she grew a surprising amount of food on her patio garden in Vancouver, including way more kale than any human being should (or could) ever eat! Hilary worked for an environmental not-for-profit in Vancouver focused on community building through gardening and is very proud to say that her legacy included the creation a community garden on the lawn of Vancouver’s City Hall. Hilary dreams of a in-ground garden of her own, but until then, she grows tomatoes, a variety of herbs, lettuce and edible flowers for donation to Grow a Row on the roof of her second floor apartment in Kingston. Although small compared to some other gardens, Hilary’s belief is that every donation counts and feels proud to be able to donate local, organic and tasty veggies to local food providers in Kingston through Grow a Row.
On July 5, this article “Grow a Row: It’s Alive” was featured in Kingston East News! Check it out to learn more about what Grow a Row strives to achieve in Kingston.
The gardeners of Kingston’s Bellevue House are participating in the Grow-a-Row campaign this year! Bellevue house was once home of Sir John A. Macdonald, Canada’s first prime minister. Bellevue house features a vegetable garden, and when possible only period tools and historic techniques are used in planting and maintaining this garden. The gardeners wear costumes typical of working people in the 1840’s. Bellevue House’s garden has already donated kale, lettuce, and zucchini, and its gardeners anticipate donating beans, peas, carrots, tomatoes, and potatoes in the future.
On Monday, June 12, Loving Spoonful’s participation in Kingston’s Grow-a-Row program was featured on CKWS’s local events section. Check it out to learn more about Grow-a-Row! Click here.
This week the workbee will happen on Thursday July 15 instead of the usual Tuesday date. The workbee is being changed to coincide with the Oak Street Community Garden Midsummer party! This combination event for both garden participants and Loving Spoonful volunteers will have sausages, veggie dogs, and salads. This is a fantastic opportunity to meet other volunteers and garden enthusiasts! Please bring your own plates and cutlery.
Loving Spoonful is pleased to announce that we have received funding from the KFL&A United Way to hire a Grow a Row Coordinator.
Part time Contract position from September 2010 – November 2010. 15 hours per week, $16/hour. Details on job description and how to apply are in attached document above. Interviews will take place Thursday August 19th and Friday August 20th. For more information contact Susan at susan[at]lovingspoonful[dot]org.
Daniel Beals was elected the Federal Candidate for the Kingston New Democrats (www.ndpkingston.org) in September 2009. He considers himself a dedicated community activist who has chosen to focus on Kingston’s local economy and community health. This has lead him to an increased awareness of local food accessibility and cooperative community ventures like the Grow a Row Campaign. Daniel is also the Coordinator of the McBurney Park Neighbourhood Association. He lives in the downtown core with his wife – an avid urban gardener – and 5 year-old son.
Sunnyside Community Garden is a garden run by volunteers in the neighbourhood of Utilities Kingston, Brock St. It strives to provide educational opportunities for the community, and to enable residents to grow their own food and flowers in a welcoming place. For three years it has had two gardens dedicated to growing food for Martha’s Table, in addition to the extra produce donated from community members’ gardens. Grow a Row donations this year have already included spinach, oregano, chives, dill, mint, swiss chard, rhubarb, and snow peas.
Laura Donefar has been a driving force in Canadian Glass Art for over 20 years, and has loved gardening for even longer. An internationally renowned glass artist, teacher and diva she lives and creates from her home studio near Harrowsmith, ON. She is a fierce fan of Kale and that is what she will be growing for Grow a Row. She challenges all Kingston and area artists to get their hands dirty in the garden for Grow a Row this year.
Helen is the award-winning author of four books of poetry, five novels, and one work of creative non-fiction. She was born in Kingston-on-Thames, England, and now lives in Kingston, Ontario with her new puppy, Charlotte. She has dreams of an orchard of fruit trees but for now, promises to grow something more modest for Grow a Row.
