GREENSBORO, N.C. — Greensboro families in need now have more access to fresh fruits and vegetables, and it's thanks to a volunteer-run community garden.
In 2021 the Positive Direction for Youth and Families Community Garden fed 100,000 families.
James Gardner started the garden. He said the evolution of the 10-acre plot of land off Huffine Mill Road in Greensboro began in 2020.
“We started out with 6 small beds that didn’t produce. We had some bad dirt but we learned lessons along the way," Gardner said. "The community jumped behind us to get us to where we are today.”
Two acres of the land are now filled with fresh produce.
Dedicated volunteers sowed seeds in March of this year that have now blossomed into what It is today.
“We’re maxing out in cucumber, zucchini, squash all the fun stuff we’ve got tomatoes growing like crazy," Gardner said.
You could say by his last name it was Gardner’s destiny to start the PDY&F community garden.
"I grew up with some gardening," Gardner said. "I saw my dad doing it but everything we do out here I didn't do on this scale here."
Gardner isn't only helping things grow in the garden, he gives the same attention to his students as a high school science teacher.
Gardner said what he saw in the classroom led to him starting the farm.
“Students are very distracted when they're hungry. You hear potato chip bags and candy that's what they're gravitating towards but I noticed they don't have healthier habits in terms of what they're snacking on," Gardener said. " Seeing the habits of the children that I was responsible for in the classroom put the burden on me to say we need to change those habits."
Now those same kids and their families can trade in the potato chips for fresh produce picked straight from the PDY&F garden.
All they have to do is show up at Evangel Fellowship Church on Thursday's between 11 a.m. and noon.
Gardner named the garden after Evangel's faith-based nonprofit PDY&F.
In 2021 they began their war on hunger initiative with a goal of feeding 100,000 families through their food pantry. They met that goal and have a new goal to provide 200,000 meals in 2022.
Shemeka Penn is one of the food pantry coordinators.
“The boxes are intentional," Penn said. "We make sure they have breakfast and dinner and lunch in those boxes to make sure they're fed.”
She said each box feeds a family of four, and now adding fresh fruits and veggies is something families are grateful for.
"It's blessing these families so much it's hard to explain the joy they have but they come early to get those veggies and they get excited when they get here and we are excited to give it out," Penn said.
Gardner said in the next three weeks he’ll be working on phase three of the farm. It involves a greenhouse where aquaponics is implemented.
“We'll be able to grow a ton of food right here in this small little section using the nutrients provided by the fish," Gardner said. "So it'll be my job to raise the fish and the fish will raise the plants we'll harvest and give to the community.”
If you’d like to become a volunteer or donate to the PDY&F community garden the best way to reach them is through their social media PDY&Fcommunitygarden.