The city of Edmonton is growing new, local produce for the much-needed Edmontonians.
Beginning in the summer of 2020, urban agriculture was a pilot project to provide food to vulnerable Edmontonans affected by the COVID-19 epidemic.
The farm is located on Old Man Creek Kindergarten, on an urban land north of Sherwood Park.
Vegetables are grown, collected and sent to the Edmonton Food Bank.
In response to Kovid, many people face more personal problems or more problems than they normally do, so there is more demand for a food bank, ”said Stacey Schult, the city’s horticultural management manager.
The farm is producing local produce and supplying it to the Food Bank to help meet the needs of the epidemic. 1:01
What we can give them will help alleviate some of the pressure.
Land in Edmonton is traditionally used to store trees and shrubs.
The fields in which the food was grown would otherwise be left to rest. City gardeners took care of the land and its produce. On average, it is a group of four people, whose main experience is not vegetable production.
Chard, Carrot and Zucchini
He consulted with the Food Bank to determine what kind of produce the city needed.
This summer, the farm grew a variety of summer squash, zucchini, cabbage, Swiss chard, carrots, corn, and winter pumpkins to store less than 10 acres[10 ha]on five acres[5 ha]last summer.
By 2020, the farm has distributed 32,727 pounds of food to several Edmonton companies. So far this year, it has donated more than ,000 25,000 to Edmonton Food Bank.
Marjori Benz, executive director of the Food Bank, said he was pleased to receive more fresh produce from the many banks that supply the food.
“It is a privilege to be able to share this food and help those who are unlucky,” said Benz.
Production goes fast – supplies sometimes last only a few days, especially when the demand for the outbreak has increased.
“In the last few weeks, they have been bringing in goods and they still think we have a lot to collect, so everyone appreciates,” Benzz said.
Despite the hot and dry weather, Schultz said the team is committed to achieving the same goals as last year.
“It was an amazing experience,” she says.
“Everyone who has the right to work here feels connected to their community. Our goal is to provide services and support to the most needy Edmontonians.”
Although this is an epidemic project, Schultz said that by the end of this season, they are looking to implement it in the 2022 work plan.