Dartmouth North Launches 20,000sq/ft Community Farm

On Sunday, June 12 more than 150 Dartmouth residents, corporate teams, and local businesses are joining forces to help the new Dartmouth North Community Food Centre get growing!

Over the course of one day, volunteers will roll up their sleeves to transform the field outside the centre into a massive Community Farm complete with a greenhouse, farm beds, community garden plots, fruit and nut trees and a play area for kids.

The Community Farm Fundraiser marks the beginning of an ambitious three-year plan for the 20,000 square foot field just outside the Community Food Centre’s commercial kitchen dining room and program space at 6 Primrose St. in Dartmouth North.

“Community Food Centres are designed to offer the community a place where they can grow, cook and share food together. This is the beginning of a multi-year farm plan that will provide field to table opportunities for individuals and families living in Dartmouth North,” said Deborah Dickey, manager of the Dartmouth North Community Food Centre.

The Farm Fundraiser, which takes place from 10am to 2pm, will make more than 20 community garden plots available to Dartmouth North residents. Experienced gardeners will be matched with newbies so skills can be shared and connections made.

Produce from the greenhouse and farm beds will be used by the food centre in its weekly family suppers, community meals and other programming. A secret garden will be built over time for children to enjoy and the centre hopes to launch a new Seed to Skillet program aimed at youth this summer.

BUSINESS AND INDIVIDUAL SUPPORT CRITICAL
Strong support from corporate teams and local businesses has given the first phase of the Community Farm a significant boost. Supporters of the Community Farm include:
• Sobeys
• Ocean Contracting
• Boyne Clarke
• Home Depot, Dartmouth Crossing
• Tony Mancini, HRM Councillors Fund
• Telus Day of Giving
• Halifax International Airport Authority

Downtown Dartmouth food and beverage providers are also contributing to a fantastic community meal that will be served at noon on June 12th to thank all the gardening volunteers. They include:
• Battery Park
• The Canteen
• Chives
• Just Us Coffee Roasters Co-op
• The Wooden Monkey

ABOUT THE DARTMOUTH NORTH COMMUNITY FOOD CENTRE
The Dartmouth North Community Food Centre is a place where the community comes together to grow, cook, share, learn and advocate for good food.

It is a project of the Dartmouth Family Centre, which has been supporting families in our community for more than 20 years, and was founded in partnership with Community Food Centres Canada. The Dartmouth North Community Food Centre is the sixth in Canada and the first in Atlantic Canada.
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Source: Media Release