Why Create a New Website?

We Grow. We Gather. We Give. That's our simplified mission. Underneath those words are hundreds of volunteer hours and multiple gardens operating with a common goal -- to provide a safety net of fresh local food to our area food banks. 

We Grow

From an idea and two gardens in 2012, to 12 gardens in 2022 with more on the way, we are growing as a group as fast as we are growing food. This website provides a foundational structure in which we can expand and still remain easy to use and searchable. At launch time we had 25 articles; in another year we may have 250 articles. This new structure gives that content a place to live without becoming overwhelming.

We Gather

Yes, we gather food, but first we gather together as workers and friends to create a place that nourishes our souls as well as the soil. With so many volunteers, we want to get to know one another better, to learn from each other's experiences, and to become more efficient at producing fresh food. This "living website" captures those moments and links them to partners and friends who also want to strengthen our food system.  Besides gathering in the gardens, the website provides an additional hub for activities.

We Give

Giving back is the #1 reason volunteers come and work at a garden. After two years of COVID,  we've become more virtual in our communications. Many volunteers are also cultural creatives -- this website will collect their recipes,  "how to" tips, and events that keep giving long after we've gone home.   

Grow where you're planted

The new site is simple in structure, to that end we went with a shorter name to fit that direction --FoodBankGrowers.org. Don't worry, PT Farm and Gardens of Jefferson County, is still the legal name, "doing business as" Food Bank Growers will be our public persona. It's far easier to remember.

The site also features a Green Map of all Food Bank gardens along with primary information on each.  Explore gardens near you and consider volunteering a couple hours a week. The Green map system includes icons for what is available on the site and are searchable across the platform -- click on the greenhouse icon and all gardens with greenhouses pop up.

To keep the content useful for all Growers/Gleaners we'll cover topics such as Garden Tips, Construction, Gleaning, Seeds, Recipes, Learning... and of course an occasional wild card. If you have an idea, toss it our way. Generally anything that is less work, more productive, and of course fun is encouraged.  Send your blog ideas to our new Volunteer coordinator Sophie DeGroot.