Gardening for the Greater Good
Across Chapel Hill, spring is announcing its triumphant return. As the air gets warmer and the daffodils blossom, an opportunity to give back is also coming into bloom. Did you know there’s an abundance of community gardens around us where you can volunteer? Check out these opportunities to roll up your sleeves and provide food to under-resourced individuals.
Carolina Community Garden
The Carolina Community Garden was created through a partnership between the North Carolina Botanical Garden and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC). Its mission is to teach young adults gardening skills and foster community engagement while delivering fresh produce to the University’s lower wage employees. The garden is located at 212 Wilson St. in Chapel Hill; holds volunteer workdays every Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday; and accepts donations in the form of money, gardening supplies and even compost!
Edible Campus UNC
Another garden project that blossomed from a partnership between UNC and the Botanical Garden, Edible Campus UNC provides fresh produce to students and community members alike. Its primary, quarter-acre garden lives in the center of campus, near Davis Library, and it’s where most of the growing gets done. Plants are moved from there to one of eight smaller, satellite gardens near the campus’s dorms where the public can also harvest produce. Those who stop by to forage have some delicious options to choose from, including strawberries, onions, lettuce, cilantro and lavender. Volunteers who sign up are invited to work the Edible Campus gardens on Mondays and Thursdays.
Giving Garden
University United Methodist Church has donated more than 800 pounds of fresh produce to TABLE through their Giving Garden. A beautiful, green garden at 531 Umstead Drive in Chapel Hill, Giving Garden uniquely offers volunteer activities for all ages. While adults can till, pull weeds and install equipment; children are invited to do easier gardening work, as well as enjoy fun activities like painting the beehive or decorating scarecrows. If you seek family fun for a great cause, stop by the Giving Garden on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
Carrboro Community Garden Coalition
The Carrboro Community Garden Coalition operates three thriving locations: Baldwin Community Garden, Carrboro Community Garden and Family Garden at Martin Luther King Jr. Park. These gardens exist to teach new, local growers how to flex their green thumbs and grow produce organically and sustainably. Visitors have access to equipment to learn the processes of recycling water and composting. If you’re interested in taking part in this community initiative, meet the Coalition on one of their workdays (exact times/days vary depending on the season). They also offer beds of soil for rent, allowing you to grow fresh food to give to local charities like TABLE, PORCH Chapel Hill/Carrboro and the IFC Carrboro Community Kitchen.
Spring has sprung in Chapel Hill, and volunteering at a community garden is a wonderful way to celebrate the season, broaden your skillset and support your neighbors. Grab your gloves and get ready to dig humanitarian horticulture!