Gardens for some people, especially the hungry or those down on their luck, are a luxury they just cannot afford. Luckily, hungry families have some relief in or area, and in Nutley can visit the both The American Red Cross Food Pantry, and a local care kitchen, through the “Grow a Row” program to get some sustenance. But often times, when you are at the mercy of donations, getting fresh wholesome foods including fruits and vegetables is not an option.
Nutley is taking a pro-active stand in offering those in need some garden fresh food, with the launch of their new Community Garden.
Community Gardens have become a staple from coast to coast over the past 6 years, and Food Gardening of America reports the number of “Americans growing their own food in home and community gardens, increasing from 36 million households in 2008 to 42 million in 2013 - a 17 percent increase.”
Besides being less expensive then fresh produce found in stores, it’s also comforting to know you are eating local foods.
The Nutley Community Garden opened for business on Saturday, June 20th. This small plot of fertile land is located behind the Nutley AmVets, and is being touted as going from “parking lot to paradise” by the township.
What sets this area apart from other community gardens is that each gardener is donating a portion of their foods to the The American Red Cross Food Pantry, and a local care kitchen, through the “Grow a Row” program. The Nutley Health Department, in collaboration with the Green Nutley Committee, provides project coordination, promotion and communication. In addition to making fresh produce available to all community members, physical activity will be encouraged through walking and biking to the garden.
Executive Director of Partners for Health Pam Scott said their organization is thrilled to work with Nutley.
“Partners for Health is proud to fund the Nutley Community Garden, an initiative of the Township of Nutley Health Department,” noted Scott. “The Health Department is a partner of the Eat. Play. Live... Better community coalition, working to make healthy choices easier by supporting policy, system and environmental changes that promote healthy people in healthy places.”
Both Commissioner Steven Rogers and Commissioner Joseph Scarpelli, who were both at the groundbreaking event on June 20, agreed.
“Joni Mitchell would be proud: instead of paving paradise, this initiative intends to return paradise to the parking lot,” said the Commissioners, in a joint statement.
Currently, the plants are blooming and vegetables such as zucchini, tomatoes, and many herbs are arriving daily.
The twelve aboveground planting beds are each tended to by Nutley residents, who have the opportunity to plant their own plot of land with the stipulation to “Grow a Row”, in which one row of produce will be grown and donated to the American Red Cross Nutley Food Pantry and/or the Vincent Methodist Care Kitchen.
Plots are not only available to residents: Nutley organizations such as scout troops, civic organizations, or any other group interested in gardening are welcome and encouraged to apply, going forward.The Nutley Community Garden will be promoted as a bike/walk destination and will include a storage shed and bike rack to accommodate gardeners.
Residents and/or organizations interested in obtaining a plot, or for more information on this project, please contact the Nutley Health Department at 973-284-4976. Plots will be awarded on a first come first serve basis. The Nutley Community Garden is funded by a grant from the Partners for Health Foundation, whose vision is to make our communities healthier, better places to live.
