October 27 - The Community Sharing Educational Garden Harvest Party was a huge success with nearly 200 pounds of beautiful vegetables harvested by and for the community with hundreds of seedlings planted for winter crops. The foods and participants represent the amazing diversity in the community, working together and providing the best service to those who need it most.

Rooting Out Hunger was thrilled to see this project to fruition with the Community Sharing Educational Garden being our “Root to Fruit” pilot project in the community. With the help of dedicated volunteers from abroad range of local groups,Community Sharing was able to open up the experience of gardening to marginalized people who might not otherwise be able to, all while providing nutritious and delicious fresh veggies to the on-site food pantry and the(former) Free Community Market. Alter-Abled access beds area particular point of pride for garden regulars, allowing full accessibility to everyone.

An Indigenous Seed Saving project and culturally specific foods brought a diversity of foods and people to the garden and to the tables of our neighbors in need. Special thanks go to Community Sharing for hosting this project and to Earth and Social Justice and Coast Fork Willamette Watershed Council for all of the volunteers they shared with us this year!

Log House Plants, Territorial Seed Company, Aprovecho Research Center, and Singing Creek farms provided the bulk of this year’s plants, with Safeway and WalMart and private donors chipping in as well. Overall, this project has brought local individuals and civic, social, non-profit, business and special interest groups together to grow something beautiful. Those working on the Educational Garden Party are happy to announce that winter plantings are going in and grant funding is being sought to continue this vital and sustainable solution to hunger in our community year round.