Master gardeners seek partnerships for seed to supper program
Seed to Supper program was originated by the Oregon Food Bank and adapted by Penn State Master Gardeners to reflect Pennsylvania gardening conditions.
Adult gardeners display some of what is learned in the Seed to Supper program.
Some of the plants grown in the Seed to Supper program
Seed to Supper provides instruction in gardening to adults who may be novices in that field so they can learn to grow their own food on a limited budget.
Some of the vegetables that can be grown in the Seed to Supper program
Master gardeners from Penn State Extension are seeking partnerships for the Seed to Supper program.
Seed to Supper is a six-week comprehensive beginning gardening program that provides novice, adult gardeners the tools they need to learn how to successfully grow a portion of their own food on a limited budget.
It provides learners with transformative experiences that increase individual and community food security by fostering food literacy, resiliency, community connectivity, and supportive social networks.
Master Gardener Margaret Sams, a Peters Township resident, said Seed to Supper has been available in Washington County for two years. It has been provided to Greater Washington County Food Bank in Brownsville, Donora Community Garden and Donora Food Pantry and the Burgettstown Community Library and Burgettstown Senior Center.
”What we want to do is partner with a community agency that works with people who are food insecure,” Sams said. “Maybe we can partner with a church that is in an area where there are some food-insecure individuals.”
The joint effort between local county food banks or similar organizations and the Penn State Extension Master Gardener Program is offered free of charge to qualifying adults.
The Seed to Supper curriculum originated with the Oregon Food Bank and Oregon State University Extension Service Master Gardener Program. Penn State Extension Master Gardeners have adapted the course book to reflect Pennsylvanian gardening conditions.
“Basically, it’s how to garden on a limited budget,” Sams said. “How to present fruits and vegetables, how to get more fruits and vegetables into our diets and produce them at low cost.”
A nutritionist also comes to each session with instruction about a better diet.
“I feel I have learned just about as much from the participants as they have from me,” Sams said. “A lot of these people have an idea of gardening and they’ve already been doing it on a limited budget. I enjoy listening to their backgrounds and their knowledge of gardening. We can give them some updated information.”
Sams said she would like to see some expansion into some more diverse populations.
Programs will begin in March, so the master gardeners are hoping to get connected with some interested agencies as soon as possible. Those who may want to get involved in a partnership with the Seed to Supper program should call Sams at 412-296-2337.
“We have enough master gardeners that we could probably do three or four programs in the spring,” Sams said.