It’s the garden with the best view in town.
Patchwork Farms, a community garden at Okanagan College, has been harvesting more than just food for the past three years.
The farm is run and maintained by a group of non-profit organizations passionate about food bringing people together. And it is doing just that.
“People work together,” said Karen Trusedale, project coordinator for Kindale Developmental Association. “People share the work and share the results.”
Those digging in have ranged from day care and school groups to retired farmers and other seniors and every age group in between.
This year saw an increase in participation, as well as the harvest.
“This year we produced over 275 pounds of vegetables from our six beds,” said Trusedale.
But what’s really been growing is the connections.
“One of three community gardens, it is a unique environment dedicated to education and awareness, demonstration constructed to inform and nurture our greater community, and a brilliant place to build community capacity around food security issues through partnered action,” said Jenn Millan, Farm Friends program coordinator from the Mental Illness Family Support Center.
The farm thanks Vernon, Coldstream, the college and everyone who has supported the initiative.
“Thank you! You created this opportunity,” Trusedale told Coldstream council during a presentation Monday, which also took place at Vernon council.
Coldstream Mayor Jim Garlick is pleased to see such a fruitful space created, which the college and district envisioned.
“We are the community garden with the very best view,” said Trusedale.
