Fred Conrad, Community Garden Coordinator of the Atlanta Food Bank released his 2011 report of fresh food donated to area food banks, ministries and shelters. The total produce received from the entire Atlanta area campaign was 106,292 pounds; the most successful season since joining the campaign in 1996. Fayette County Master Gardeners donated 79,231.5 pounds of this campaign total.
• 30,361.5 pounds were harvested and distributed from the one acre Plant a Row for the Hungry (PAR) garden located on the grounds of New Hope Baptist Church North Campus in Fayetteville,
• 48,870 pounds was from gleaning of peaches, tomatoes, squash and sweet potatoes from local growers that were picked and distributed throughout the county.
Hundreds of hours of volunteer time were logged by master gardener extension volunteers who donated their labor and mileage to the PAR garden. An accomplishment of this magnitude takes a huge amount of teamwork. The Fayette County Master Gardeners wish to thank Lester Bray of Fayetteville for his invaluable contribution as the project consultant and New Hope Baptist Church North Campus for the use of the site and water for the garden.
The Fayette County Master Gardener Extension Volunteer Program is an educational program offered through the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension in Fayette County. For more information about the master gardener program or the Plant a Row for the Hungry garden, contact (770) 305-5412 X7.
