There are so many reasons to garden! Food security, connection to nature, shared activities for the household, and personal well-being are just a few. 

To help ensure that our Kearsarge neighbors have an opportunity to experience the many benefits of gardening and have access to nourishing foods, five regional organizations partnered together on the fourth Annual Tray it Forward Program: The Kearsarge Food Hub, Kearsarge Neighborhood Partners (KNP), Colby-Sawyer College, Spring Ledge Farm, and Dartmouth Health/New London Hospital.

Tray it Forward is a neighbors-helping-neighbors event in which individuals can sponsor a tray of vegetable seedlings so that garden plants can be provided at no cost to recipients who would like to grow food. Spring Ledge Farm plants and nurtures 400 vegetable garden seedling trays in their greenhouses, including 300 larger seedling trays for in-ground gardens, and a new offering this year: 100 smaller trays designed specifically for container gardens.  

KNP volunteers helped transplant seedlings into trays and bagged compost donated by Spring Ledge Farm to amend recipients’ soil. In May, 25 KNP volunteers gathered to deliver the seedling trays, along with compost, potting soil, and planting containers. One volunteer said of that day, “There was nothing but pure joy in the communion of gardening!”   

About one quarter of the veggies and planting materials went to five area food pantries, who distributed them directly to patrons. In addition, trays went to five community Victory Gardens and to many individual households in a total of 13 towns, including Andover — all of whom eagerly plan to grow their own food this summer!  

The sponsoring organizations will supply summer-long communications, fun garden contests, and a Facebook support group to help home gardeners succeed in growing their own vegetables and enjoying the process. Community members can continue to help defray the cost of the veggie seedlings trays by donating through the Spring Ledge Farm website: bit.ly/sponsoratray.  

We are grateful to Belletetes, Home Depot, and Gardeners Supply, who donated 110 bags of potting soil distributed with the container gardens. Kudos to the dozens of KNP volunteers who participated, some in several different capacities during the Tray it Forward program, from the earliest stages of planning through plant distribution day.

Thank you to everyone who had a part in this important program, allowing our neighbors to grow their own healthy food and enjoy gardening!