Midwest Food Resources executive director Vesna Fa, left, and Mayor David Gillan shown at the opening ceremony Sunday. (Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Angela Brown

Increasing access to fresh produce

Midwest Food Resources opens third community garden project

Aug 16, 2021 | 6:12 PM

Midwest Food Resources has now started a third community garden project in North Battleford.

Board chair Claude Desnoyers says the non-profit organization recognized a need for a third garden to grow fresh fruit and vegetables to increase access to nutritious foods in the community.

“It indicates that people are willing to get in and roll up their sleeves and do the work necessary for producing the food,” he said.

The new community garden will be shared by the local food bank and Midwest Food Resources, to be used exclusively for community donations.

Other non-profits will also have an opportunity to share the garden in future years.

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The City of North Battleford provided about an acre of land for the initiative, and support to help develop the land for the garden. The garden belongs to Midwest Food Resources, which leases the land from the city for the project.

Volunteers also helped create the garden.

Midwest Food Resources’ third garden was founded in 2020 through a donation from Brian and Kathy Feldman, in memory of their son Charles, through MAZON Canada and the Jewish community.

The garden also includes water tanks and an irrigation system.

“There will be no sales from that garden; everything will be donated either to the food bank or different organizations,” Midwest Food Resources executive director Vesna Fa said.

North Battleford Mayor David Gillan says it’s great to see community-driven projects like this with everyone working together for the common good.

“We’re very, very happy to have these type of partnerships,” he said. “These are what makes a community really special.”

A view of the new third community garden just opened. (Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW Staff)

Midwest Food Resources first garden project is used by participating local residents who each pay a fee to rent space to grow vegetables each year. The second garden is used for the Midwest Food Resources’ Fresh Food Box program.

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow