Hometown Harvest gets grant for outdoor classroom

An outdoor vegetable garden, a hoop house, a rainwater collection system, a user-friendly weeding system, and a mulching procedure help operate and sustain the Hometown Harvest program located on the University of North Georgia (UNG) Dahlonega Campus. Now, a $3,000 grant will take the educational program to the next level.

Hometown Harvest is a collaboration between UNG and the Lumpkin County community designed to inspire kindergarten through 12th-grade students and the broader community to grow, prepare and eat fruits and vegetables, especially heirloom varieties. Its gardens are located at the Historic Vickery House, headquarters of the College of Education's Appalachian Studies Center.

Whole Kids Foundation awarded Hometown Harvest the funds to create an outdoor classroom and increase vegetable production. Founded by Whole Foods Market, Whole Kids Foundation is dedicated to helping children eat better.

"One goal of Hometown Harvest has been to develop an outdoor classroom space," Dr. David Patterson, associate professor of biology at the University of North Georgia (UNG), said. "These funds will go toward that."

He said the harvest program uses the most cost-effective methods to propagate heirloom seeds and grow vegetables. The plan is to purchase a projector and screen to teach K-12 students about gardening outside so they can plant their own seeds at home.

"It's different when you put them in the space and let them see firsthand how to tend to a garden," Patterson said.

Students in Lumpkin County Schools reap the rewards of Hometown Harvest's educational content and produce. Vegetables from the garden are delivered to Lumpkin County schools and integrated into their cafeteria lunches. The collaboration started in summer 2020 and has introduced many children to fresh vegetables.

Hometown Harvest's gardens also benefit UNG in multiple ways. Students and faculty may volunteer to work in the garden or use it to conduct research, like Jami Nakan. The sophomore pursuing a degree in biology is building a model to educate students on sustainability and vegetable production as a way to help end the food insecurity crisis.

"I hope this research leads to a virtual education platform to assist schools with establishing low-cost gardens," she said, adding the project gave her a new connection to the food she eats. "I have a new perspective on the hard work and dedication involved in growing seeds to cooking the produce."

Students, faculty and staff may pick fresh vegetables or select the fresh items shared with the Appalachian Studies Center's Food Pantry inside the Vickery House.

Rosann Kent, director of the Appalachian Studies Center, said this grant illustrates the program's progress since its launch in 2007. It originally started with faculty and students collecting heirloom seeds and researching the importance of local food systems.

"Our project was still limited to a small heirloom seed demonstration garden and seed bank, stories and art," she said. "With Dr. Patterson's leadership, the project has finally grown into its potential."