GARDEN ADDS CROPS

Harvest continues through December with fall crops that like it cool, organizer says

The Lorain Public Library System’s Main Branch garden is making its autumn transition.

The library hosted Pick Your Own Veggies on the afternoon of Aug. 30 at 351 W. Sixth St. in downtown Lorain.

The community garden is a collaboration of Church of the Open Door, Hope for Futures, city of Lorain and the Library System.

The garden is maintained by Hope for Futures, a nonprofit organization in collaboration with Church of the Open Door.

“We held our last Pick Your Own event in July, and had a really good turnout,” said Abby Lawson, farm supervisor for Hope for Futures. “People seem to really enjoy them, and today’s turnout has been even bigger than last time.”

“We know there is a huge need for fresh food because we’re in a food desert.”

— Jason Russ, pastor of Church of the Open Door Lorain Campus

Lawson ensures the produce is ready for harvesting and bases the event off the growth rate.

Along with residents gathering their own vegetables, volunteers from Open Door assisted with garden maintenance and clean up.

Lawson said as the seasons change, the staff is preparing the garden for fall crops.

“We have a plastic covering, so we are able to grow through December,” she said. “As the weather cools down, we’ll add more lettuces, continuing with our collard greens, spinach and things that like the cool weather.”

Lawson said those who attend the next Pick Your Own event will be able to harvest those crops as well as beets and radishes.

Vegetables from the garden are available for pickup inside the Main Branch or at other distribution sites, Lawson said.

“In case anyone wasn’t able to make this event, we picked some produce that will be available inside the library,” Lawson said. “El Centro and We Care, We Share also distribute our produce.”

Jason Russ, pastor of Church of the Open Door Lorain Campus, said being able to lend a hand means everything to the church.

“We know there is a huge need for fresh food because we’re in a food desert,” Russ said. “To get people to bring their gifts together in order to bless the community, is a great opportunity for us to build relationships with people around a common cause.”

Russ said the Church of the Open Door, 1121 Tower Blvd. in Lorain, will hold a Wednesday Night Dinner on Sept. 1 using some of the harvested vegetables from the garden. “I’m going to take some of the produce we gathered here to make a few of our sides, in addition to burgers and chicken,” he said.

The dinner is open to the public and will begin at 6 p.m.

“In case anyone wasn’t able to make this event, we picked some produce that will be available inside the library. El Centro and We Care, We Share also distribute our produce.”

— Abby Lawson, farm supervisor for Hope for Futures

ALIAH KIMBRO — THE MORNING JOURNAL A small Lorain resident reaches long to harvest produce in a community garden at the main branch of the library.

ALIAH KIMBRO — THE MORNING JOURNAL A Lorain resident harvests produce in a community garden at the main branch of the library in downtown Lorain.