The Strathcona Rail Community Garden donates to YESS!
For many years now the Strathcona Rail Community Garden participants have been donating their excess produce to YESS. We have a committee that collects the produce once a week from August until the end of the gardening season and delivers it to YESS. A few years ago we lost one of our long time gardeners, a great friend and mentor, Ken Nash. We turned his garden into a donation plot for YESS. So now, not only do we donate excess produce from each of our plots but we also have a dedicated plot for YESS. Here is more about our friend Ken Nash, written by his friend, Jalene Murphy:
I met Ken Nash when he was 89 and I was early my early 30’s. Ken was a gardener for 40 plus years on this plot of land, well before it was turned into the Strathcona Rail Community Garden. It was through this community garden that we connected and became friends. Our friendship blossomed in the garden and we spent time outside of the garden as well. Ken was always in the garden and eager to help other gardeners. He helped whether it was by sharing a story or with advice. He grew up in Bristol, UK and came to Canada after the World War. He sometimes chuckled as I had my own garden techniques that he compared to his English way of gardening. Ken always encouraged you to try again if your crop didn’t produce the way you wanted it to. Since 2015 we have teamed up with the YESS folks and all veggies from Ken’s plot are donated to this organization. And if other gardeners have excess produce this is also donated to YESS. Every time we drop produce off to YESS they are thankful for the fresh, home grown, tasty and healthy food. My friend Ken is smiling knowing that something so close to his heart is helping those in our community.
Jalene Murphy
Ken was very kind and generous, especially with his gardening tips. He taught many of us how to save our seeds and prune our tomatoes. We sure miss seeing him at the garden!
For more information about the Strathcona Rail Community Garden check out and click on https://strathconacommunity.ca/community/strathcona-rail-community-garden/ . If you are interested in getting on a wait list for a plot, please email SRCGarden@gmail.com
Article by Melanie Kidder, Communications Committee, Strathcona Rail Community Garden