Growing Gardeners
Our programs are designed to teach and empower people in the community the skills of growing organic fruits and vegetables. All of our programs, for both young and older people, are rooted in a belief in experiential education. We learn best by doing. FRESH adult and youth staff provide technical support and expertise; community gardeners learn as they dig!
In the spring of 2006 we formed a partnership with the New London Grassroots Homeless Coalition. The Coalition took over the growing of one of our two original garden sites, and with technical support from FRESH, successfully produced hundreds of pounds of fresh vegetables. The food was used for the Coalition's daily free breakfast program that is attended by over 65 people each day.
In the spring of 2006 we also broke ground for the creation of our 4th official urban garden in New London. This garden is located in front of the Gemma E. Moran/United Way Labor Food Center, Southeast Connecticut's main emergency food source, and also the site of the FRESH office. The purpose of this garden, in addition to providing fresh fruits and vegetables to Food Center partners, is to provide a model of urban food production to Food Center partners, as well as to the neighborhood. Collard greens, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, aji dulce peppers, squash, swiss chard, could all be found in this garden!
Experiential Education
Much of the work that we do is rooted in the belief that any efforts at societal change must include working with children, the next generation. We have found that children are naturally curious about the earth's processes of growth and abundance; there is nothing more exciting than the anticipation that a growing watermelon on the vine can bring!
In collaboration with the Drop-In Learning Center,a summer and after-school center for New London children, in the spring of 2005 we created the Drop-In Growing Garden. Weekly from May-October, children at the Drop walk the 3 blocks over to the garden, where FRESH adult and youth staff lead garden-based experiential education activities.