Bozman, Mont. (NMB) – The Montana State University Supplemental Nutrition Education Program, or SNAP-Ed program, has awarded six Montana Small Gifts to major gardeners across the state this year.
Co-Growing Small Grants Help with gardening volunteer gardening materials. Small donations such as seeds, fences and harvest supplies can be used to purchase materials for bakery gardens. The Montana Master Gardner Program provides technical support and research on consumer gardening for volunteers in all Montana communities.
Up to $ 2,000 in donations has been used to start, renovate, or maintain donation gardens. Production of the vegetables will be distributed to local food banks and families with limited resources. In-person and virtual nutrition classes will receive invitations to product recipients at MSU Extension Nutritionists.
The 2021 projects that have received grants are listed below:
sixth Ward Garden Park, Helena – Senior gardeners have used unused areas in the park to produce produce and donate food to Helena.
Old Hayes Community Garden, Fort Belkpap Bond – Master gardeners have created a new garden with a plot by the tribal council. This project attracted many community volunteers for the first time.
“I believe that the availability of new products in the area has had a significant impact,” said Hillary Maxwell, director of the Old Hayes project. “Community members are getting more comfortable in the garden and appreciating the price.”
North Chayen Reserve Donation Garden, Busby – Future Contributions of Master Gardeners to Community Food Banks Planting Fruit Trees Near the Local School.
Help Hands Food Bank Garden, Hardin – Master gardeners have built five high beds on the Food Bank property with the help of Montana Farm to School and Montana Food Corps programs.
“People are interested in gardening, they have asked how to build high beds, and they have shown interest in the soil,” said Andrea Berry, MSU Extension SNAP-Ed instructor in Hardin. Built in such a prominent place, it has attracted the attention of many and raised awareness about gardening.
Sagebrush Food Pantry Garden, Shelby – Master gardeners stimulate the garden to use for donations.
Fort Peck Booking Donation Garden, Poplar – Major gardeners have worked to increase food sovereignty for the Fort Pek tribes by creating gardens that were previously used for grain production.
For more information, visit the Montana website of development, or contact Lydia Sakovsky at Lydia.sakowski@montana.edu or 406-994-6022.
Courtesy of MSU-Extension