Over the next few days you’ll be seeing a lot of photo’s of Ryan and I traveling around town visiting local gardens to give away boatloads of Botanical Interest Seeds to charity’s and organizations we think are pretty cool.
Ryan arrived in Seattle around 10 am this morning for the Mother Earth News Fair this coming weekend and by noon we were on the road.
Our first stop was St. John Bosco’s Church in Lakewood, Washington. I had learned about St. John Bosco’s last fall when reader Michelle told me about their food bank garden.
The church garden started 16 years ago and in the beginning only grew flowers for church services. A few years later, seeing the need in their community they decided to turn it in to vegetable garden.
Last year they harvested {and donated} over 5,600 pounds of vegetables to their local food bank.
The St. John Bosco’s Church garden is maintained by it’s members who come together one day a week for about 3 hours starting around mid February. Rain or shine they are out there every week working in their 20+ square foot garden beds.
Today we were able to donate over 500 seed packets to the St. John Bosco’s garden crew so they can continue on their mission of feeding their community. How cool is that?
We also stopped by the Family Renewal Center in Tacoma, Washington. The Family Renewal Center is a wonderful organization dedicated to bringing healing, hope and new life to victims of domestic violence. Not only does the Family Renewal Center provide transitional housing for victims for up to 18 months, they also have an incredible garden where the residents grow organic fruits and vegetables for their families.
Giving back is cool, now matter how you do it.
THANK YOU to the awesome folks at Botanical Interests Seed Company for donating all these seeds!
~Mavis
Ashley says
Awesome! We need more organizations like this to provide healthy food to those in need! What a great place to donate so many seeds 🙂
Tali says
In my community we have “Community Garden of The master”. it is located on the grounds of a little Catholic church in
Coeur d’Alene where for $25 any person can ‘rent’ a raised bed (water provided and the soil+compost is already worked into the ground). The ‘renters’ are asked to donate the produce they do not use to the local food bank as well as help work the ‘donation’ raised beds. Last year they donated over 600lb of fresh produce (i think), this year their goal is even higher. My friend Tracie is part of the garden management and is inspired by you. I also wanted to mention that if someone can’t afford the fee they are just forgiven the amount.
Mavis says
I love it! Community gardens rule and I really like it when people give away what they cannot use. It’s good for everyone.
Carol says
Mavis, you brought tears to my eyes with this post. Thank you for bringing awareness to these organizations!
marie says
This so warms my heart! Thank goodness for these angels!
Erin M says
Hi Mavis
I noticed the BI boxes that your boyfriend has the seeds in. Is that what you use to hold your seeds? I have ziplocks full in the fridge and the seeds just get so messy and disorganized. I guess I’ve become a real gardener. So many seeds you can’t keep them straight. Would you show us how you do it?
Erin
Mavis says
Hi Erin I actually keep my seeds in an old loaf pan. 🙂 Weird, I know, but I like how long and narrow the rows are
Jan @ Another Hatchett Job says
Wow! Such a wonderful gift of fresh, wholesome food for these communities! Three cheers for Mavis, Botanical Interests and free seeds to good causes!!!
Lisa says
Keep spreading the love! 🙂
alice hartzell-edwards says
Hi Miss Mavis, Last year my granddaughter’s back to school night I attended with her. Her Mom has just had sugery. Anyway her homeroom teacher commented that they needed money donatitions to buy seeds for the 6, 7,& 8th graders for a garden. Well I donated organic seeds. Anyway the school now has a hudge garden that is feeding the cafertia with fresh veggies and the school elementry school nextdoor in their cafertia. The kids know me as grandma gardener who now volunteers at the garden. 🙂 priceless!
Mavis says
Yay! That was so sweet of you Alice. 🙂