Project #4 - Brighton Victory Garden

Edited picture from espyushistory.weebly.com

 This year, I have started helping at the Brighton Victory Garden. So far I have assisted with planting, weeding and hoeing rows. I hope to assist with harvest in the fall.

The victory garden is a community garden run on behalf of the Livingston County Hunger Council by Ms. Kay Simmons. The Brighton Garden Club also maintains an herb and flower garden at the front of the Victory Garden. The garden sits on a full acre of land loaned to the hunger council by Brighton NC Manufacturing Solutions. Kay leads a team of volunteers from local schools, businesses, organizations as well as interested individuals to plant, grow and harvest vegetables that are then donated to the local food bank. The garden provides over 10,000 lbs of free fresh produce to families in need each year.

Brighton Hunger Council's Victory Garden - June 2016.

 The Hunger Council was established in 2009 with the  goal to "eradicate hunger in Livingston County."  According to their website, by "December, 2010 – With a year of collaborative efforts complete, the members of the Livingston Hunger Council could boast a total of 3,855,423 additional meals, reducing the hunger gap by almost 77%."  Because of the efforts of the Hunger Council, Livingston County is considered to be one of the few food secure counties in Michigan.

Not only does the Victory Garden provide fresh vegetables to the community, it also provides allotments to individuals.  In exchange for volunteer work in the garden, individuals are given the opportunity to use a portion of the acre of land on which to grow their own produce.

Hoeing a row of pumpkin at the Victory Garden.

The Hunger Council works with a variety of agencies inluding: The Salvation Army, The Well Church, Hartland Consolidated Schools, Livingston County United Way, St. Joseph Mercy Livingston Hospital, Livingston County Senior Nutrition Program, Livingston County Dept. of Public Health, Love, Inc., Hidden Springs Church, SonRise Church, LESA Head Start, Stone Coop Farms, Greater Brighton Area Chamber of Commerce, Family Impact Center, MSU Extension, OLHSA, St. Agnes Food Pantry, St. Joseph Pantry, Olinik Family McDonalds, Livingston County Department of Human Services, Livingston County Catholic Charities, Gleaners Community Food Bank, Fausone Bohn, LLP, Livingston Adventist Church, Society of St. Vincent de Paul at Holy Spirit Church, and Livingston County Sunrise Rotary Club.

 If you are interested in volunteering at the garden,  please contact Kay Simmons and/or view the website at http://www.livingstonhunger.com/our-work/community-gardens/.

To view the garden, please visit at NC Manufacturing Solutions - The field to the left of the building - 7300 Whitmore Lake Rd Brighton, MI 48116.  

Picture from http://www.livingstonhunger.com/our-work/community-gardens/

Use Your Surplus Harvest To Help Others

Spread the word to help the hungry! If you have extra fruits or veg you can drop them off at these carts:

One is at 220 S. Howell Rd Pinckney, MI.

Another is in Howell at Gleaners Food Bank 5924 Sterling Dr. Howell, MI off of Dorr Rd.

Others may be scattered throughout Livingston County. 

For more information, please contact Livinston Hunger Council:

http://www.livingstonhunger.com

Don't live in Livingston County, MI?

Do a google search for soup kitchens, food distribution centers, charities or churches in your area.  These organizations may accept your donations. Or start your own free food cart!

Project #2: Brighton Library Garden

I joined Brighton Garden Club this year.  Now that the weather is good, the group has started work on maintaining and improving the Brighton Library garden.

Today, we moved and removed some of the more aggressive perennials.  We pulled out a large swath of spiderwort that had taken over, divided lady's mantle, divided some ornamental grasses and took out some bee balm.  We also lay down some mulch.  

Next week, we plan to add some perennials to the shade bed and to begin work on a native perennial bed.

Here are some photos from the day: