Garden For Good Campaign

Over the past year, Covid-19 has changed the way many think about food and food availability in our community and has laid bare the vulnerabilities and inequities of the industrial food system. For years, we have operated our familiar Grow-a-Row project. Local farmers, backyard gardeners, and workplace gardens planted a row for themselves, and an extra row for Loving Spoonful. This much-needed healthy, fresh food source is then distributed across the community with the help of many dedicated volunteers to over 40 meal programs, pantries, and shelters as well as our Local Food Market Stands To increase the resilience of our food system, and to reduce food insecurity in our community, we need to grow a LOT MORE food and seeds locally!

We need YOU to grow a Garden For Good!

Producing food and saving seeds are fundamental human rights. We can grow food and seeds almost anywhere - window sills, containers, balconies, backyards, front yards and community gardens. If you’re new to gardening, never fear! The Garden For Good campaign will bring together people with a range of knowledge, skills and resources so that we all feel supported.

Our Garden for Good Facebook group is a discussion forum for all things related to growing food! Join to learn alongside newbie & master gardeners alike.

Join Garden for Good on Facebook

GOALS of the Garden For Good Campaign

Inspire everyone to grow food and save seeds for sharing.
Ensure that the control of food and seed production is in the hands of the people who are growing and eating it locally.
Encourage food production for donation to vulnerable sectors to meet increased need.
Advocate for the transformation to a local, resilient, sustainable food and seed system that includes urban food production.

HOW to Garden for Good?

Start a garden wherever you can! Back yard, front yard, balcony, windowsill… the possibilities are endless! And don't forget to Grow-A-Row for Loving Spoonful!
Share photos and videos of your progress in the Facebook group and on your own page to inspire others. Tell us why you’re gardening for good using the hashtag #Garden4Good.
Donate your surplus harvest through our Grow-A-Row program, and we will make sure it gets distributed to those who need it. Find out how to donate here!
Talk to your friends, family and neighbours about what you are doing - and invite them to join you!
Have your workplace join the Grow-A-Row Workplace Challenge!

Garden for Good RESOURCES

SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS:

Garden for Good is a project of Loving Spoonful supported by the Rideau 1000 Islands Master Gardeners and the Kingston Area Seed System Initiative. They offer the following resources:

Rideau 1000 Islands Master Gardeners:

Ask a Master Gardener webinars

Join the weekly zoom call for practical gardening advice through Q&A conversations, talks and workshops. Come with any and all gardening questions!

When: Every Thursday afternoon from 1:00-1:30 pm starting Thursday, April 9th. The first Thursday of each month will be a vegetable gardening workshop.

Where: Virtually via Zoom.

Registration: Register here in advance. You only need to register once, then you can join in any week.

Master Gardeners of Rideau Thousand Islands Vegetable Gardening page

Planting calendars, garden planning guides, crop-specific care suggestions, and more! Unlike most gardening resources on the internet, this page contains expert advice specific to growing in the Kingston region.

Master Gardeners Guide to Local Nurseries, Seed and Soil Suppliers

What’s open & what’s not? Here’s a list of local suppliers for the plants, seeds, soil and compost you need for the gardening season.

Kingston Area Seed System Initiative (KASSI):

Your local seed-saving experts! Seeds and seed-saving are an essential component of building resilient local food systems. KASSI grows and distributes locally-adapted, open-pollinated heirloom seeds and provides seed-saving education. KASSI seeds grow great food! All of their seeds are available by donation – meet the seeds and order here.

WHY Garden for Good?

Gardening for Good can save you money.
Growing your own food could save on a household's grocery bill. You don’t need even need a backyard to grow your own food. Potted gardens on balconies will do plenty!

Gardening for Good empowers you to have fresher and more nutritious food.
When you have the know-how to grow your own food, you take back more control over your own food system. Also, homegrown food tastes better. Food from your own garden will be the freshest you can get!

Gardening for Good can help your community.
Donating your extra produce to Loving Spoonful’s Grow A Row program is an effective and safe way to help others in your community who are in need, particularly during this pandemic where need is increased.

Gardening IS Good for your body, mind and heart (and your kids!)
The benefits of gardening on mental health are well-documented - the fresh air, sunshine and connection with the earth that gardening offers are important factors in maintaining health!

And if you’ve got kids at home, this is a perfect way to beat the boredom, get in a few lessons about good food, nutrition, math, reading, phys-ed, community and environmental stewardship. Start creating memories and tradition this season!