Spring is just around the corner and so is Butte County Local Food Network’s annual Garden Blitz.
During the Garden Blitz community volunteers from throughout the county roll up their sleeves and pitch in to help build and install vegetable garden beds at homes in their communities.
“It’s like the barn-raising days of old,” said Pamm Larry, director of the network. “It’s a great way for people in the community to pay it forward to others in the community, to help families in need become more food secure. When we are individually food secure, the whole community is food secure.”
The nonprofit needs volunteers to help build and install approximately 125 raised 4-by-4 foot and 4-by-8 foot beds, complete with hardware cloth, soil, mulch and vegetable plants. Building and installation dates for Chico are April 5 through 7 and in Oroville and Paradise, April 12-14. Volunteers with pick-up trucks are especially needed as are folks who can operate tractors with a bucket or skid steer. For those who volunteer with pickup trucks, the food network will supply gas cards if needed.
Work for the Garden Blitz is already underway at Achieve Charter School of Chico and Ridgeview High School where students, under the direction of Hands On Tools Mobile Construction Training staff, are building some of the beds.
“We’re so excited to be working with students who are excited about this project,” said Larry. “They really get a kick out of using the tools and seeing the beds come together through their handy work.”
The premise of the Garden Blitz, now in its fifth year, is similar to the Victory Gardens of WWII. In that instance the government mobilized and put huge resources into supporting and encouraging everyone to grow gardens in backyards, front yards, churches, businesses and community spaces. Through this nationwide effort to become more food secure, 42% of the nation’s vegetables and fruits were grown in Victory Gardens. Today local food, including gardens, only supplies less than 2 percent, according to Larry.
“We are living in uncertain times right now and the food system is changing. Globally it’s imploding as war impacts the supply chain. The experts I follow project that food prices could double again this year,” said Larry. “I believe it’s important for people to become more self sufficient in these uncertain time especially, when it comes to feeding their families.”
Garden Blitz is part of the local food network’s 1,000 Acres More Project which aims to create community gardens in backyards and at schools, churches and community centers throughout the county so 1,000 acres or more are in food production. Since the blitz started five years ago, 415 garden beds have been installed and families are grateful to have them.
“Foodbanks are overburdened because of the increase of families in need of help. Some of the families we’ve installed gardens for tell me they’ve had to choose between keeping a roof over their head and feeding their kids,” said Larry. “They are so thankful and really appreciate that they can grow some of their own food. The garden beds don’t take care of everything but they certainly help. Every little bit helps.”
While the beds are available for purchase at a cost of $185 for a 4-by-4 foot bed and $275 for a 4-by-8 foot bed, most of the beds are provided to families through a scholarship program. The scholarship funding come through Adventist Health Feather River Health Foundation, the Lundberg Family Foundation through the North Valley Community Foundation and Chico Natural Foods Round Up Program. Larry hopes the scholarship funds this year will cover the costs of 100 garden boxes but said that will depend on the final costs of the materials which are being locally sourced.
For more information about the blitz including scholarship, purchase and volunteer applications visit the food network’s website at www.bclocalfood.org.
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