Berks County
Photo by Natalie Marioni
Victory Container Garden Task Force
The Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Berks County were part of a newly formed Victory Container Garden Task Force coordinated by the City of Reading. The task force's goal was to provide education and resources to enable residents to grow their own food, thus augmenting the community food system. Master Gardeners assembled 250 containers which were distributed for free to Reading residents.
Containers included soil and three edible plants, 613 of which were donated by the Master Gardener program. Residents also received educational materials, available in both Spanish and English, to help nurture their plants through harvest.
Butler County
Photo by Sandra Curry
Seed to Supper
The Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Butler County embarked on a journey to bring the Seed to Supper program to our community in collaboration with Community Partnership with funding from the Pennsylvania Urban Agriculture Infrastructure Grant Program. The six-week webinar introduced participants to the basics of vegetable gardening. Students who completed the course received tools, seeds, plants, and other essential supplies to begin their journey to food security through growing their own garden.
Community Partnership manager Sandra Curry said, "We were excited to partner with Penn State Extension and the Seed to Supper Program. We are looking forward to continuing this relationship and expanding food security in Butler County."
Centre County
Photo by Robin S. Bastress
Home Grown Project
The Home Grown Project addresses issues of food insecurity by distributing plants and seeds at local food banks and the Moshannon Valley YMCA Anti-Hunger Program. This year, food insecurity reached levels seldom seen in Centre County. Master Gardeners teamed with a local nursery to start hundreds of tomato plants and several Centre County Master Gardeners grew additional vegetables and flowers. At each food bank distribution, Master Gardeners answered questions, gave advice, and provided information so that those who took plants and seeds home had a better chance of success.
Approximately 2,200 plants were distributed to more than 350 food bank clients. The Centre Hall-Potter Township Food Pantry said in a thank you note, "Our clients enjoy growing their own produce. A 'first' for many! Your donation will help the food pantry continue to serve the local community." The Home Grown Project also supports vegetable gardens at affordable housing complexes at Limerock Court in Lemont and Ashworth Woods in Boalsburg.
Columbia County
Photo by Suann Leighow
Great Vegetable Giveaway
During the summer of the pandemic, the Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Columbia County provided resources to county residents and surrounding areas to produce their own food.
The Race-West Company donated cartons of sprouted Russian banana fingerling potatoes to the Master Gardener program to distribute to community residents. These gourmet potatoes are suitable for growing both in containers and in the ground. Master Gardeners repackaged them into over 250 one-pound bags with planting instructions.
In addition, residents at Emmanuel Home Personal Care, Northumberland, grew 200 cabbage, pepper, and tomato transplants which we distributed to community and local non-profit organizations during food giveaways. Our remotely staffed Garden Hotline supported the Great Vegetable Giveaway by answering questions from novice gardeners to assure success.
Crawford County
Photo by Kinorea Tigri
Seed and Seedling Sale
For years, the Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Crawford County have been growing vegetables, herbs, and flowers for the annual Seed & Seedling Sale. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the sale was canceled and over 195 flats of plants were donated to local organizations, community gardens, and Crawford County food banks. A total of 8,177 seedlings and 135 seed packets were donated over a six-day period. Shawnel Toomey, from Essential Services said, "The food pantry recipients were so grateful for the vegetable plants, Thank you!"
Delaware County
Photo by Boys and Girls Club of Chester
The Boys and Girls Club of Chester
The pandemic shutdown occurred just as the Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Delaware County were preparing to plant sixteen raised beds and install a new pollinator demonstration garden at the Boys and Girls Club of Chester. Prior to the pandemic, almost 37 percent of Chester residents lived below the poverty line, and much of the city qualifies as a food desert. To support their community during the shutdown, Master Gardeners and Club staff worked together to develop COVID-safe garden programming for youth and food security. Once the county moved to "yellow" status, Master Gardeners worked in small teams to weed and plant the gardens. Master Gardeners carefully prepared safety protocols and adapted lesson plans, including having trainees develop a new socially distanced lesson on pollination, so that programming was ready to launch when the club reopened for summer camps. Not only did the Master Gardeners provide education to 22 children, but by the end of the season, the garden produced 576 pounds of fresh produce which went directly to Boys and Girls Club families.
Erie County
Photo by Frances Rosiak
Gardening with the City of Erie Schools
Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Erie County completed the third year of a partnership with the Erie School District. Despite adjustments in the program necessitated by COVID-19, volunteers have already seen some of the "fruits of labor" developing within the young students who have participated in the program. Students reported that gardening and learning about plants is their favorite part of the school day, and many have established their own home gardens.
In 2020, 239 vegetable plants and annuals were donated to school district gardens. In total, over 2,420 pounds of produce and 158 seed packets were donated to community members in need including Second Harvest Food Bank. CEO Karen Seggri said, "Your gift is especially important during these unprecedented times. Many of our neighbors are facing hunger for the first time due to temporary unemployment. You can feel confident that the seeds will be shared through the Healthy Pantry Initiative at partner pantries."
Fayette County
Photo by Val Sesler (pre-COVID-19)
The Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Fayette County were challenged this year to carry out their mission while adjusting to our new normal life with COVID-19. While we were very limited in our face-to-face interactions by mid-March, we managed to reach more than 600 children in 14 schools with our poison prevention program and we exhibited at the annual Community Family Expo.
Statewide, the Master Gardener program established protocol and guidelines for the volunteers to maintain their gardens during a quarantine. With a few adjustments we were able to plant and maintain a Vegetable Demonstration Garden in Connellsville throughout the summer. As the fresh produce ripened, we fulfilled our mission by donating 290 pounds of food to a local food distribution center.
As the nation and the world became more online oriented so did the Master Gardeners. The Fayette County volunteers increased our social media presence and contributed to statewide webinars. We also reached the public through radio broadcasts and we fielded more than 150 inquiries through the Extension office and our Garden Hotline.
Franklin County
Photo by Chris Mayer
Plant Donations
Penn State Master Gardeners in Franklin County donated a total of 383 plants to worthwhile projects in the local community this spring. Seeds had been sown in the greenhouse in March, but the COVID-19 shutdown forced the closing of the greenhouse and the cancellation of the annual plant sale in May. Volunteers tended the seedlings at home for two months before arranging to share the plants with community organizations. Recipients included:
- Network Ministries, which hosts a community garden for adults and families who want to learn to grow food--127 plants.
- The South Central Community Action Program (SCCAP), which maintains a food pantry and provides healthy foods to those struggling with food insecurity--145 plants.
- The ARK Child Development Center at the Chambersburg YMCA, which provides an environment of learning enrichment for preschool children ages 3 to 5--4 perennial milkweed plants for their raised bed pollinator garden.
- Two projects at Wilson College, Chambersburg: Fulton Center for Sustainability Studies garden and student-created Monarch Waystation --107 milkweed plants.
Lackawanna County
Photo by Judy Coleman
North Pocono Garden Project
Several years ago, the Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Lackawanna County worked with community members and the North Pocono Community Library to convert unused land behind the library into a Learning Garden. Every year since, the North Pocono Garden Project has grown in both size and impact and has become a valuable community asset during the pandemic. When the library opened to the public in late spring, Master Gardeners expanded their informational signage to promote safe outdoor learning. In addition, the Apprentice Garden Program, a part of the North Pocono Garden Project, we used Zoom, phone calls, and text messages so that families could still meet, share, and learn with a Master Gardener. The garden also continues to provide more than education: this season, the Master Gardeners harvested and donated over 1,000 pounds of produce to a local food pantry.
Lebanon County
Photo by Bob Good
The Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Lebanon County were excited to partner with the Lebanon YMCA and Wellspan Health through the revitalization of their community garden. Through this partnership, we were able to educate program partners and community members and harvest over 100 lbs. of produce that was donated to a local women's shelter and YMCA youth. Our goal for the garden space is to provide educational programming for both youth and adults, promote urban gardening in the city of Lebanon, and increase the amount of produce donated to community organizations.
Lehigh County
Photo by Tina Weidele
Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Lehigh County have completed the construction of a new teaching garden in partnership with Lehigh County Government, The Barn Community Garden, and St. Luke's University Health Network. The garden at the Lehigh County Ag Center includes patio garden space and various styles of raised beds for growing vegetables, flowers, and herbs. Despite this year's challenges, volunteers grew 45 pounds of produce for area food banks, as well as many flowers to support pollinators. After the pandemic, the committee plans to offer classes to teach at least 25 area county residents to become proficient vegetable gardeners.
Wayne County
Photo by Lakeside Elementary School Garden Committee
New Demonstration Garden
This year, the Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Wayne County began planning their first official demonstration garden in partnership with Lakeside Elementary School. Master Gardeners have been volunteering at the elementary school for several years supporting an after-school garden club. The elementary and the Master Gardeners will be working together to add the demonstration garden as well as a Pollinator Preferences research plot to the existing school garden. Not only will this give students an opportunity to be involved with a research project, but it will also provide an outdoor venue for Master Gardeners to offer educational classes to young families and children.
Monroe County
Photo by Nancy Daniels
Food Pantry Partnership
The Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Monroe County launched a new partnership with the Pleasant Valley Ecumenical Network Food Pantry. With a higher demand on food pantries, Master Gardeners with bountiful harvests at home wanted to help by donating their excess produce. Even Master Gardeners who do not grow edibles wanted to support their local community and donated additional fresh produce purchased from local farmers and businesses. In one month, eight participating Master Gardeners collected 383 pounds of produce for the food pantry. These donations helped serve over 300 families in need in Monroe County. The staff of the food pantry reported how grateful clients were to receive fresh produce, and because of the success of the program, future food pantry collections will be now open to home vegetable gardeners.
Montgomery County
Photo by Dawn Stelts
"Produce Produce" Project
The Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Montgomery County harnessed their plant-producing powers to grow garden vegetables as a meaningful way to assist overwhelmed local food pantries. The "Produce Produce" project challenged Master Gardeners to maximize their vegetable production both in their home gardens as well as the county demonstration gardens. Vegetables were collected on a weekly basis outdoors at the Montgomery County Extension office and distributed to local food pantries the same day. By the end of the season, 18 Master Gardeners had donated 1,100 pounds of produce to eleven different food pantries in Montgomery County. Building on the momentum of over a half-ton of vegetables grown and delivered, they plan to continue this project next year.
Washington County
Photo by Laura Delach
Growing for a Community in Need
What can be done when a pandemic arrives right before growing season? Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Washington County got back into their demonstration gardens this year to help local food banks by donating vegetables.
Partnering with the Greater Washington County Food Bank, Family Circle Food Bank, and City Mission, Master Gardeners donated over 230 pounds of vegetables to local community members in need. Beans, yellow and green squash, cucumbers, peppers, and tomatoes were grown at the Washington County Children's Garden, while other vegetables were donated from the home gardens of Master Gardeners.
Herb plants and daffodil bulbs were also donated to The Farm, a subsidiary of the Greater Washington County Food Bank in Brownsville. The director of the Family Circle Food Bank said, "I can't believe how beautiful the vegetables are. The clients really appreciate the fresh produce."
