Diverting Food Waste from the Landfill, One Garden at a Time!
So, we thought we'd share with you how 2017's Grow Green Food Scrap Compost Giveaway winners did with their gardens. Recipients from 2017 included:
- Cuyahoga Falls Community Gardens
- Eden's Blessing Community Garden in Akron
- NoHo/Akron Sustainer Community Garden
- Community Peace Garden in Akron
- Stow Municipal Courthouse Community Garden
- Lakemore Community Garden
Each garden received an eight cubic yard truckload of compost. All community gardens located within Summit County were qualified to enter. The winning entries were selected through a random drawing.
"The Grow Green initiative helps raise awareness of ReWorks' efforts to divert food waste from landfills by providing compost made from food scraps to community gardens," stated Marcie Kress, ReWorks Executive Director.
Compost Source
ReWorks purchased the compost for the 2017 Grow Green Compost Giveaway from Paradise Composting Company, an Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) licensed facility that composts food waste.
Community Impact
Another way these gardens impact their communities is addressed by Dave Daly of Eden's Blessing Community Garden, "We accept all compostable food scraps, leaves, grass clippings, and any organic garden waste. We have knowledgeable gardeners on hand that makes sure the bins are kept up, and materials are actively breaking down."
We look forward to unearthing 2018's community gardens and sharing our message of reducing food waste with each garden's own story.
Community Gardens
Each image of the following community gardens shows the garden before and after 8 cubic yards of compost was amended into the soil.
Cuyahoga Falls
The Cuyahoga Falls Community Gardens Inc. operates at Keyser Park. The garden has over 2 acres of garden space providing access to land for 50 gardeners.
Eden's Blessing
Eden's Blessing Community Garden is in Akron on Stadelman Avenue. The garden accepts compostable food scraps and organic garden waste and provides the fruits and vegetables they grow to the local community.
NoHo/Akron Sustainer
NoHo/Akron Sustainer Community Garden is located at the Cascade Lofts on North Howard Street in Akron. It serves as both a garden and education center for sustainability, and the residents of the Cascade Lofts, friends, family members, and attendees of the Akron Sustainer workshops receive produce from the garden farms.
Community Peace
Community Peace Garden is located at the corner of Princeton and Russell streets in Akron. The garden shares its produce with neighbors, and also uses it to prepare meals for homeless families staying in the nearby Catholic Worker Hospitality Homes.
Stow Municipal Courthouse
Stow Municipal Courthouse Community Garden located on Courthouse Drive in Stow, provides people with the opportunity to complete court-ordered service hours. They can do this by working in the gardens and the food grown is given to the Akron/Canton Food Bank and local shelters.
Lakemore
Lakemore Community Garden is located at the corner of Park and Short streets in Lakemore. The garden provides a space to both grow vegetables and bring the community together. The produce grown is shared among the gardeners who tend the land and the Lakemore Food Pantry.
