Garden Party
White Rock Local Garden spreads the local food love
For most of us, growing our own food consists of a few tomato plants and aromatic herbs in the backyard. Because we can’t all be aspiring farmers like Marshall Hinsley, we look for other ways to help propagate local food.
One such way is the newly rooted White Rock Local Garden, a collaborative effort of White Rock Local Market (WRLM), Highland Park Cafeteria, USE Farms and DFW Truck Farm/Garden Inspirations. Highland Park Cafeteria’s Jeff Snoyer provided the three-quarters of an acre on which the garden sits, at the corner of Garland Road and Fuller Drive.
“We are very pleased to see our vision for White Rock Local Garden take fruition,” said WRLM director Sarah Perry. “Everyone has been very generous with their support, time and materials.”
Speaking of support, to help cultivate the garden’s produce, herbs and flowers — which will be used in the Highland Park Cafeteria kitchen as well as classes held at the garden — localvores are encouraged to volunteer on Love Your Farmer day, coming up Sunday, June 23, 8 am-noon.
Get down and dirty by building raised beds, constructing an arbor, installing fencing, cleaning up the garden, and laying mulch and compost. And who knows? You may be inspired to take what you learn to your own backyard, where those tomato plants could use a few companions.
In addition to the market and garden, WRLM provides cooking demos; a hands-on gardening and nutrition after-school program; and gardening, cooking, sustainability and nutrition workshops.
With the new White Rock Local Garden, Perry hopes “to cultivate greater demand for locally grown and made foods; to increase access to local organic food; and teach people how to grow and consume seasonally.”
That’s just the sort of dream we like to see come true.
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To volunteer on Love Your Farmer Day, register on the WRLM website or email sarah@whiterocklocalmarket.org. Bring a hat, sunscreen, gloves and garden tools if you have them. Breakfast and refreshments are provided.