PROJECTS
The H.O.N.E.Y. Garden
The project is called "The HONEY Garden". HONEY stands for Helping Our Neighbours Eat Yearly. The EarthKeepers have partnered up with the Caring and Sharing Food Bank. The EarthKeepers youth are going to volunteer their time to turn a field into a garden. They are going to plant and maintain this garden and then cultivate it when it is ready. All of the produce that comes from the HONEY garden will then be donated to the Caring and Sharing Food bank. This will allow the youth of the community be directly involved with many functions of the community. They will learn about the environment and agriculture, about working with other community members and organizations, and about how hard work and dedication can have a positive impact on others in need.
Goals
The HONEY Garden is going to be a project that gives back to everybody in the community!
We have started our Garden and have submitted our idea to the Pepsi Refresh Project. Pepsi is giving away over a million dollars in grants to fund great ideas. We are in the running for a 10 thousand dollar grant. To receive this grant we need everyone to vote for our great idea at www.refresheverything.ca/earthkeepers. Voting ends at the end of August. If we can place in the top 3 we will receive our grant!
Please go to www.refresheverything.ca/earthkeepers and vote daily!
Goals
- To get the youth involved in building/maintaining a community garden
- To donate the grown produce to the local food bank (Caring and Sharing
- To bring together all different members of the community
The HONEY Garden is going to be a project that gives back to everybody in the community!
We have started our Garden and have submitted our idea to the Pepsi Refresh Project. Pepsi is giving away over a million dollars in grants to fund great ideas. We are in the running for a 10 thousand dollar grant. To receive this grant we need everyone to vote for our great idea at www.refresheverything.ca/earthkeepers. Voting ends at the end of August. If we can place in the top 3 we will receive our grant!
Please go to www.refresheverything.ca/earthkeepers and vote daily!
The H.O.N.E.Y. Garden Making Headlines
Tilling the people's soil: Earthkeepers garden for food banks
Angele CanoENFIELD: You won’t find any bumble bees in the HONEY community garden in Enfield, but you will find a whole lot of produce growing for a good cause and volunteers hoping to get help from the community.
The Help Our Neighbours Eat Yearly (HONEY) garden has been entered into an online competition hosted by a popular refreshment company. There’s a $10,000 grant on the line. The garden’s founders, the Enfield Earthkeepers and Caring and Sharing Angel Tree (CSAT) food bank, are asking the community to vote online so they can keep the garden running for years to come. The garden will provide fresh produce for CSAT food bank, while leftover produce will be sold at farmers markets. Proceeds will be donated to the food bank.
“It’s a win-win situation for both of us,” said Bernice Donaldson, treasurer for CSAT food bank in Enfield. “They were looking for a piece of land for a community garden. I was thinking about a garden for the food bank for years, and it fits right in with what they’re trying to teach the youth who work and volunteer for them.”
Enfield Earthkeepers are a not-for-profit organization that employs youth from 12-17, but requires the employees volunteer one hour of their time for every four hours of work.
“They’re well known in the community as nice youths doing good work,” said Muriel d’Entremont, manager of the Earthkeepers. “We take pride in helping. That’s part of being an Earth Keeper—they sign on for that when they sign up.”
The Earthkeepers receive funding from the Greater Toronto YMCA and Service Canada, but would need access to additional funds in order to continue the garden next year. Money would be put towards tools, tilling, signage, seeds, travel expenses, storage, soil and fertilizer, which youth would work on during their volunteer time.
“It’s a huge eye-opening experience for the youth,” said d’Entremont. “They’re learning how they can help people who are less fortunate in our community.”
Currently, Donaldson has provided a plot of land for the Earthkeepers to grow zucchini, peppers, potatoes, tomatoes, pumpkin, broccoli, corn, beans, and celery. Except for the odd deer invasion, the garden has potential to yield plenty to the Earthkeepers, who have planted and toiled with care.
“I feel like the garden is my baby,” said supervisor, Katherine Brymer. “There aren’t many things you can start, see grow, and finish like this.”
Votes can be cast daily for the HONEY garden and the Earth Keepers are asking for all the help they can get.
“I’m in a position right now where I can help,” said Brymer, “but someday I might not be.”
The HONEY garden is 18th out of 241, and votes can be cast until August 31. For more information on the competition, or to vote online, go to www.refresheverything.ca.
acano@enfieldweeklypress.com
Angele CanoENFIELD: You won’t find any bumble bees in the HONEY community garden in Enfield, but you will find a whole lot of produce growing for a good cause and volunteers hoping to get help from the community.
The Help Our Neighbours Eat Yearly (HONEY) garden has been entered into an online competition hosted by a popular refreshment company. There’s a $10,000 grant on the line. The garden’s founders, the Enfield Earthkeepers and Caring and Sharing Angel Tree (CSAT) food bank, are asking the community to vote online so they can keep the garden running for years to come. The garden will provide fresh produce for CSAT food bank, while leftover produce will be sold at farmers markets. Proceeds will be donated to the food bank.
“It’s a win-win situation for both of us,” said Bernice Donaldson, treasurer for CSAT food bank in Enfield. “They were looking for a piece of land for a community garden. I was thinking about a garden for the food bank for years, and it fits right in with what they’re trying to teach the youth who work and volunteer for them.”
Enfield Earthkeepers are a not-for-profit organization that employs youth from 12-17, but requires the employees volunteer one hour of their time for every four hours of work.
“They’re well known in the community as nice youths doing good work,” said Muriel d’Entremont, manager of the Earthkeepers. “We take pride in helping. That’s part of being an Earth Keeper—they sign on for that when they sign up.”
The Earthkeepers receive funding from the Greater Toronto YMCA and Service Canada, but would need access to additional funds in order to continue the garden next year. Money would be put towards tools, tilling, signage, seeds, travel expenses, storage, soil and fertilizer, which youth would work on during their volunteer time.
“It’s a huge eye-opening experience for the youth,” said d’Entremont. “They’re learning how they can help people who are less fortunate in our community.”
Currently, Donaldson has provided a plot of land for the Earthkeepers to grow zucchini, peppers, potatoes, tomatoes, pumpkin, broccoli, corn, beans, and celery. Except for the odd deer invasion, the garden has potential to yield plenty to the Earthkeepers, who have planted and toiled with care.
“I feel like the garden is my baby,” said supervisor, Katherine Brymer. “There aren’t many things you can start, see grow, and finish like this.”
Votes can be cast daily for the HONEY garden and the Earth Keepers are asking for all the help they can get.
“I’m in a position right now where I can help,” said Brymer, “but someday I might not be.”
The HONEY garden is 18th out of 241, and votes can be cast until August 31. For more information on the competition, or to vote online, go to www.refresheverything.ca.
acano@enfieldweeklypress.com
On August 10th We had the great pleasure of having Live at 5 come out and do a story on us!
To watch the story go to the link below
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=141459852553792
