If you’re a gardener, you know how good it is to get your hands in the dirt in March. Surrounded by resprouting perennials, budding trees, and blooming annuals, it’s hard not to smile, even on days when it seems like everything in the world is going terribly wrong.
Nature’s ability to renew itself after a harsh winter (or for that matter a harsh summer) never fails to fill me with awe and hope. And that’s a big part of the reason I’m a committed, longtime volunteer for Green Corn Project (GCP).
Shannon Kemp and Dayna Conner founded GCP in July 1998. Their goal then is the same goal leading the nonprofit organization today: to help Central Texans build more organic food gardens so they have better access to nutritious, affordable food.
Kemp selected the name Green Corn Project to honor a Creek Indian celebration, the Green Corn Festival. The Creeks began celebrating as soon as the first green shoots of corn appeared after planting, and then later, in mid-summer, they celebrated again with a major festival of feasting and dancing to welcome the coming harvest that would help feed the tribe through the coming year.
Similar versions of this celebration have been reported among many of the corn-growing Native American tribes that originally lived and farmed in what became the southeastern United States. The ceremonies were intended to thank the spirits for the renewal of life that would come from a good corn crop.
Every time I work with volunteers to add compost, remove crunchy brown garden remains and plant new seeds and bright green transplants, I am struck by just how big the potential of a little 4-x-12-foot vegetable garden can feel.
And according to research, a lot of good can indeed come from planting a garden like this. Studies have shown that participating in group gardening activities creates a sense of community, bridges gaps between diverse races and ages, and fosters social and food equity, in addition to increasing consumption of fresh vegetables.
Volunteer Opportunities
If you’d like to help others grow food gardens and experience all the good that comes from that, consider signing up for a dig-in with Green Corn Project (greencornproject - volunteers)
We’ll be working in gardens Saturday and Sunday mornings through early April.
Or you can help support our work by shopping at our Spring plant sale on Saturday mornings at Boggy Creek Farm. The sale, which continues through March for as long as supplies last, includes a wide variety of tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and herbs, as well as heat-tolerant greens, beneficial-insect-attracting flowers, and spring garden seed packets. Visit our website for a complete list of plant and seed offerings: GCP Plant Sale.
All proceeds of the sale help pay for supplies needed to install or replant vegetable gardens in and around Austin. In the past few years, GCP and its volunteers have focused on planting more organic food gardens for schools that serve primarily low-income communities; installing more wheelchair accessible garden beds for gardeners with mobility issues; building container and/or raised garden beds for low-income gardeners who don't have backyards, in particular, apartment dwellers; and expanding educational workshops that teach community members and GCP volunteers how to grow food gardens.
A final note: Some fans of GCP’s annual fall festival at Boggy Creek Farm have asked if we’re going to eventually bring it back when the pandemic is officially over. We have no definite plans yet, but yes, we do expect to bring back the annual celebration in some form.
Meanwhile, with an appreciative nod to all the Native Americans who led the way for thousands of years before us, go out and plant some spring vegetables, and then celebrate and give thanks for your harvest. ❦
