Eight pounds of fresh, leafy, vitamin-rich lettuce raised from the soil at the town’s community garden has been donated to a local food pantry.
The five pounds of romaine and three pounds of black-seeded Simpson recently delivered to the food pantry at Little Zion Union American Methodist Episcopal Church on Stephens Street is just the start.
Kris Scheufele, who manages Belleville’s community garden, said the town is seeking volunteers to help manage and maintain the 21 above-ground planting beds with the goal of growing 100 pounds of fresh produce during the 2024 growing season.
“We’re asking them to donate half of everything they grow to local food banks, where they can be enjoyed by people who are facing food insecurity,” Scheufele said.
Scheufele said the community garden at Fairway Park has yielded not only fresh fruits and vegetables, but also the seeds of friendship among those tending to the beds.
But cultivating social ties is just one of the often-overlooked benefits of gardening. Other benefits range from the meditative qualities of intently working the soil to the physical exertion of digging and toiling in the fresh air.
The township did not rent out the planting boxes this year, but allowed volunteers to help work the garden as a total renovation at Fairway Park looms.
“Food insecurity is a scourge plaguing our state and community; the issue was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Mayor Michael A. Melham said. “We need to not only promote access to food, but access to healthy, nutritious food. I applaud those who are tending to our community garden in their spare time, growing the fruits and vegetables that will be enjoyed by the most vulnerable that we care for.”
Learn more about the writer ...
Kevin A. Canessa Jr. is the editor of and broadcaster at The Observer, an organization he has served since 2006. He is responsible for the editorial content of the newspaper and website, the production of the e-Newspaper, writing several stories per week (including the weekly editorial), conducting live broadcasts on social media channels such as YouTube, Facebook, and X, including a weekly recap of the news — and much more behind the scenes. Between 2006 and 2008, he introduced the newspaper to its first-ever blog — which included podcasts, audio and video. Originally from Jersey City, Kevin lived in Kearny until 2004, lived in Port St. Lucie. Florida, for four years until February 2016 and in March of that year, he moved back to Kearny to return to The Observer full time. Click Here to send Kevin an email.