We are grateful for the land and property we have available to us and continuously seek to use it well and in service of others. As it was previously the site of an elementary school, there were several places that had been used for playground equipment and all that remained were some large gravel filled areas. In April 2020 volunteers from the church replaced the pea gravel with top soil and began using these areas for gardens instead. And in April 2021, as conversations around food security developed, a grant from the Seeding Our Food Future (SOFF) program allowed the garden to expand to about one quarter acre in size. While there are a few seasonal staff, the garden is mainly operated by volunteers (including students on class trips!). About half of the garden is root vegetable like potatoes, carrots and onions, and the other half contains a variety of other garden vegetables including beets, lettuce, swiss chard, kale, beans, peas, kholrabi, cabbage, leeks, and much more. 

Produce from the garden is harvested once or twice a week to organizations working to alleviate food insecurity in the city of Guelph, which has included Chalmers Community Services Centre, Royal City Mission and Hope House. Produce is also shared with families attending our summer camp (Onside Athletics) and neighbours in our community. In fact, one of the best parts of the garden is the way it has allowed us to get to know our neighbouring community better and we would love to meet you! During harvest time, we often leave fresh produce under the nearby tree, so you’re welcome to drop by and see what may be available. We would also appreciate any volunteers interested in helping us take care of this large garden!

For more information or to get involved, contact us at garden@kortrightchurch.org.