What
Have We Accomplished?
Food Donations: In 1994 Garden Harvest, Inc. grew and gave away 35,277 pounds of fresh, organically-grown, top-quality produce. By 1996, our production/donations soared to 205,270 pounds of fruits and vegetables given to 46 organizations who, in turn, served approximately 800,000 individuals.
And by 2001, production had again increased to 355,000 lbs.
donated to 105 agencies. Since then, our production & donations have
averaged around 300,000 lbs. a year. In addition to that, in 2003,
Garden Harvest began its egg distribution program, giving out that year
several
hundred dozen eggs from its free-range, pastured chickens. In 2005, we
gave out 1000 dozen eggs, and by 2009, we gave over 10,000 dozen eggs to
the poor via the agencies we serve.
We have planted and maintained a total of hundreds of fruit trees, which once fully
mature will bear annually 100 - 150 lbs. apiece. We have peaches, pears, cherries, plums,
and paw paws.
Food
Distribution We have established an efficient system of food distribution
to over 100 soup kitchens, homeless shelters, and emergency food
pantries throughout Maryland. To concentrate as much as possible on food
production, we have the recipient agencies pick up the food at the farm
rather than deliver. Since not every agency can afford to pick up,
we have given some of the larger agencies we serve first pick of the
foods available in exchange for delivering the rest of Garden Harvest
produce to the smaller agencies that cannot afford transportation. Rock Church's A Can
Can Make A Difference, for example, delivers our food to a network
of 204 small emergency food agencies. Gaudenzia distributes
Garden Harvest food to all the agencies in the Park Heights area. And
Helping Up Mission distributes Garden Harvest produce to agencies in
Central Baltimore.
Education Program: Supported by the USDA and the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Garden Harvest
has established its Education Program including the Children's Program
serving local schools and after school programs, and the Young Adults
Program, training youth in sustainable agriculture and in construction
(carpentry, masonry, tile work). Local as well as out of
state Youth participate in this program. In addition, as part of our
animal donation program, we offer training in animal husbandry to
individuals from the rural counties of Appalachia so that they can learn
how to produce their own food and possibly have a business selling that
which they don't consume..
Children's Garden: We have established a quarter acre Children's Garden, used in field workshops
for the school and after school children that participate in the
Children's Education Program. This garden is a microcosm of
the entire farm with plantings of vegetables, fruit, herbs, and flowers.
Volunteers: We have developed a solid and continuously expanding volunteer base of support,
now over 5000 people contributing over 19,000 hours each year.
There are a number of reasons why volunteering at Garden Harvest is
so popular:
-
The results of the volunteers' efforts are so tangible and the impact that
their participation has is so clearly measurable
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The work environment is beautiful, uplifting,
healthy, and safe, a place where families can perform meaningful service
together;
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The capacity for large groups is virtually unlimited; with 100
acres, Garden Harvest often has several large groups working
together, up to 600 at a time'
The location, only 20 miles from Baltimore, is very convenient
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Because
so many different groups work together, volunteering at Garden
Harvest is a great way to meet people with similar interests;
Long Term Revenue Sources:
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Flower and Medicinal Herb business:
We have been working to establish a flower and medicinal herb business as a subdivision
of Garden Harvest trading under the name of
Bountiful Bouquets.
Since all the food is given away and since most foundations do not
fund operating expenses, the flower and medicinal herb program is
set up as a for-profit business to generate a continuously expanding
source of revenue specifically to pay for the operation of the hunger and education programs.
In support of this long term objective for sustainability, the
France-Merrick Foundation and the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg
Foundation have made generous donations to cover the cost of a
new 40 ft. x 120 ft. Harnois Ovaltech Hoophouse that will provide
the environment wherein both food, flowers, and medicinal herbs can
be grown year-round. We will be offering a great many potted perennial and annual
flowering plants and medicinal herbs. The medicinal herbs we currently offer
are Echinacea and wormwood. We will be adding many more varieties in
the coming year. We will also grow plants to order.
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Sale of Guinea Hens:
In order to protect staff and volunteers from the threat of Lymes
Disease that is carried by deer ticks, Garden Harvest keeps
incubating and raising guinea fowl whose most favorite food happens
to be ticks! While they eat a wide assortment of insects and weed
seeds, they actually prefer ticks. Since the establishment of our
flock of guinea fowl, the sightings of ticks has been reduced by
99%. Since there is a natural attrition of guineas by their
predators (fox, coyotes, raccoons, possum, hawks, and eagles), we
raise them on a continuing basis. We sell what we don't need to the
public: $5.50 for a newborn and $25 for a full grown guinea.
The hope is to raise enough from the sale just to cover the cost of
feed that they need especially in the winter months.
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Donations:
We offer
the convenience of online
donations through our secure payment gateway;
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Adopt-a-Goat Program:
People can support our work to provide milk for the hungry by
adopting a goat. This makes a nice gift to honor a family
member or friend. A goat can be adopted for a year, two years,
or for its lifetime. The adoptive parent receives an official
Garden Harvest Goat Adoption Certificate with the photo of their
goat, an additional 8 x 10 color photo of their goat, and some
biographical information.
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Donate a Farm Animal Program: People can support our
Rural Hunger Program by donating
a farm animal to a family in need; By having a cow or goat, a
family can produce its own milk, or if they are given a flock of
chickens, they can produce their own eggs. In both cases, they can
sell the excess produced to generate income for the family.
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