FARMINGTON – The Greater Franklin Food Council, in collaboration with LEAP’s Stone Soup Community Garden, is excited to announce the first ever Gather and Grow Community Garden Program. This program will lead a cohort of gardeners through the growing season, from planting and fertilizing to preserving the harvest and cooking ideas. The purpose of this program is to build a gardening learning community for people who want to learn how to grow food, don’t have access to land for gardening, or simply want to garden with friends.
“We hope to grow more than just food and knowledge in this program,” says Ellie Sloane-Barton, the coordinator for the Gather and Grow Program. “We hope that, through gardening together, we will create community and long-lasting relationships that will persist far beyond people’s gardens.” The Gather and Grow cohort will meet weekly for open gardening hours with a Master Gardener with one facilitated workshop per month. Topics will include soil fertility, seed saving, canning, succession planting, and more.
This program includes a LEAP Stone Soup Garden plot, seeds/starts, and all other supplies needed for gardening and food preservation. In addition we will have a childcare option on site for families needing to bring their children. Workshops and gardening hours will be every Monday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. from May 15 to October 2 at LEAP Stone Soup Gardens, 482 Farmington Falls Rd. in Farmington. Registration is on a sliding scale $5-$50.
To apply, visit the Greater Franklin Food Council Website www.greaterfranklinfoodcouncil.org. For questions email or call Ellie at gffccoordinator@gmail.com or (207) 860-6346
