MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE EMPLOYEES PLANT VEGETABLE GARDEN AT EASTERN SHORE OFFICE

Surplus Vegetables Donated to Food Bank

SALISBURY, MD (July 19, 2010) – Maryland Department of Agriculture employees of the Salisbury Mosquito Control Office are harvesting vegetables for charity from their new office vegetable garden. Inspired by First Lady Katie O’Malley’s garden at the Government House, four employees planted a community vegetable garden on the University of Maryland property outside their office building, and are donating the surplus vegetables to the Wicomico County Food Bank.

“I thought it would be a really neat thing to do to have a garden here and help feed the needy in these hard economic times,” said Jackie Kimball, the MDA employee who had the idea for the garden and got it started.

“This is a really great project. I’m excited and proud that our employees have taken it on and are involved so heavily with the community,” said Agriculture Secretary Buddy Hance. “This type of garden is exactly what First Lady O’Malley and the University of Maryland Master Gardeners had in mind with all the positive impacts with the Grow It Eat It backyard gardening program.”

Currently the garden is growing sweet corn, peppers, zucchini, squash, okra, black eyed peas, lima beans, onions, and tomatoes. In the traditional community garden style, the employees who are involved with the garden can take the vegetables for themselves, and the surplus is donated to the Wicomico County Food Bank. So far, about 50 pounds of vegetables have been donated.

“One of our employee’s 13-year-old daughter would not touch fresh vegetables until her mom started bringing them home from the garden and trying different recipes for dinner,” said Dave Schofield, head of MDA’s Salisbury Mosquito Control office. “Her daughter now looks forward to the different vegetables that are brought home. That’s what it’s all about!”

In addition to helping the needy, Kimball said that she wanted to learn more about gardening. However, she has never had the room at home to start her own garden. “This is the first time I’ve ever attempted a garden,” Kimball said. One of the four employees involved, Arthur Meilhammer, has been gardening for several years and has acted as a mentor in teaching the others about gardening practices. In addition to Kimball and Meilhammer, the gardening crew consists of Paul Nuwer and Wicomico County employee Rhonda Daley. Gardening is no easy task – each of them puts in about three hours a week working in the garden, working during their lunch breaks, after work, and even on the weekends.

Reception for the garden has been extremely positive. When the idea was first brought up, the employees needed permission from the University of Maryland Vegetable Research Farm, which owns all of the property the MDA building sits on. The University didn’t just give them the go-ahead – they came over with their equipment and tilled the soil so that they would have an easier start. The gardeners have plans to continue production by planting fall crops and eventually expanding the garden.

Inspiration for the garden stemmed from First Lady Katie O’Malley’s vegetable garden at the Government House. This April, as part of National Gardening Month and Maryland Grow It Eat It Month, she planted a vegetable garden for the second year in a row. The “Grow It Eat It” campaign encourages Maryland families to improve health and save money by growing fresh vegetables, fruits and herbs using sustainable practices. This year, the Government House, the University of Maryland Extension’s Master Gardeners and the Maryland Department of Agriculture teamed up to present a lecture series one day per month through October in the Government House garden. The program filled up quickly and has been a success.

###

Follow MDA on Twitter @MdAgDept.