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The Simpsonville Presbyterian Church Food Pantry, serves approximately 25 area families with various food items. After many years of supporting them with money (green) Master Gardener Janet B. decided to volunteer to support them with living green this past May. The church, like so many churches, has a large lawn area which was basically mowed weeds. One of the members brought a tractor with a tiller and made an approximately 20 foot square garden. Janet started with 8 unmarked tomato plants and 4 unmarked pepper plants. Additionally I started marigolds, zucchini and butternut squash from seeds. Later she was gifted some eggplant seedlings they directly planted bush beans in three rows. Much later we planted a mix of okra Janet has two very helpful ladies who are volunteers at the food pantry. They live nearby and can check on watering regularly. A positive outcome of this project is three of the gentlemen "shoppers" have quietly surprised Janet with weeding the garden without a request being made. Janet said that she can tell they appreciate our efforts and want to be part of the greater good It's been a learning curve for this northern transplant but Janet has been pleasantly surprised and looking forward to a much bigger and more successful/ bountiful harvest next year. The Greenville Master Gardeners have partnered with the museum to create and grow raised beds with vegetables, pollinators and herbs. The garden is located on the Patio just outside the cafe. It is open to guests to come and learn how things grow. Each week during the spring and Summer there are 2 Master Gardeners available to answer your garden related questions. The garden is currently growing some fall and winter crops. The MG’ are also involved in 1 day programs throughout the year. When you and your children come to play at the museum, stop by the garden to see what is growing! Legacy Park Friends is a charitable organization that serves Greenville’s Legacy Park through fundraising and volunteerism. This public park contains a large garden area that over the past decade “went to seed” and was begging for serious restoration. So, over the last 15 months, a small but mighty group of Hollingsworth neighborhood gardeners have pruned and cleared dead debris at the park Pavilion gardens and made way for perennial plantings with design help from Master Gardeners, Kelly T. and Bonnie W.. Several Legacy Park "friends"; purchased, transplanted, and installed over 125 pollinator-friendly plants. Their blooms already have attracted an assortment of bees and butterflies. This summer, volunteers can be found every Tuesday in the early hours watering, pruning, and weeding the garden. Visitors are welcome to stroll around the perimeter of the gardens to admire the natural beauty that these volunteers have created. This opportunity to help maintain the garden is open to all those who love to get their hands dirty! Learn more at legacyparkfriends.com or contact them at [email protected].
 Lana Parke with the kids. Shout out to MG intern, Lana Parke! She helped out at the soil and water/4-H Day camp this summer with a Lake Robinson pollinator garden project and has since adopted a 4-H group at the Unitarian Universalist World of Children. Staff there are now enrolled in the School Gardening for SC Educators program and she has been delivering garden lessons. Patricia Whitener, Extension Associate & County Coordinator, 4-H Youth Development, says “I am always impressed at the breadth of talent and skill and enthusiasm with which our GGMGA allies share their love of all things green!”  Plants the 4-H kids planted. |
