Stoddart Avenue Community Garden

A vacant lot on Stoddart Avenue provides a place to grow flowers, fruits and vegetables of the gardener's own choice. (The garden is 4 blocks west of Alum Creek Drive/Bexley and 1/4 block north of E. Main St.). All gardeners are encouraged to donate a portion of their produce to a local food pantry. (See 7/7/11 Post: Plant a Row to Feed the Hungry By Donating Garden Produce to Food Pantries). To participate, contact the Garden Manager. Also see the FAQ at the bottom of this site.

Monday, July 27, 2020

30 Pounds Donated

The SACG has a rich tradition of growing and donating produce throughout the season, with 2019's total clocking in at over 600 pounds.

Last week, Christie harvested about 30 pounds of beets, onions, carrots and peaches for the food pantry at Broad Street Presbyterian Church. COVID-19 protocols at in place at the pantry and the delivery person, Amy, was not allowed in the kitchen, but a masked and gloved worker assisted in unloading. The SACG plans to make a drop off each Monday morning during August. As the pandemic curtails livelihoods and opportunities, the need for fresh food will only increase.

"Everything looked beautiful – especially the peaches! Almost all of it went home with the families who shopped today – we just have a few beets left! Thanks to you and all the gardeners."

BSPC's Kathy-Kelly Long

Thursday, July 16, 2020

2020 Growing Season

Hey, we may be in the middle of a global pandemic, but the Stoddart Avenue Community Garden is still growing food and building community.

Welcome to our 12th growing season. The year had a somewhat slow start, mainly because our intrepid founder and Garden Manager, Priscilla Hapner retired after last season and we had to organize ourselves in such a way that we could maintain the institution that she had built. The COVID 19 pandemic and a rainy spring also contributed to delays.

But as the reader can see, we are fully operational now. Sabrina Reynolds-Wing, a longtime gardener, board member and supporter, agreed to step in and serve as Garden Manager. We adopted some policies for social distancing and disinfecting tools. The board scaled back some of the SACG operations and reduced the need for outside volunteers. Board members, neighbors and friends committed to taking on several regular chores to lessen Sabrina's load. The board also recruited a team to manage the food pantry plots, harvesting and donations, headed by Ohio State University grad student, Christie Hammons. We are now in business and about ready to donate a round to the area pantries that Christie has enlisted. You can see early stages of food pantry planting below.

Joining Sabrina and Christie in 2020 are returning gardeners Charlie, Ethan, Michael and Whitney and Amy.

Our summer has already proven that challenges lie ahead: the strawberry patch suffered from last summer's heat and failed to produce as much fruit as in previous years; our pesky groundhog has shown himself and begun to nibble; June was unseasonably hot and dry; and the city water turn-on got a bit complicated.

But our sisters' plot corn is as "high as an elephant's eye" and the SACG is feeding all of us now. Happy summer!

Thanks To SACG's Supporters

Scotts Miracle-Gro Community Garden Fund of The Columbus Foundation -- The Cougar Group -- The Columbus Public Health Department's Institute for Active Living -- Thrivent for Lutherans -- Oakland Nursery -- Members of Christ Lutheran Church -- Wrights Tree Service -- Bill Griffith -- Rain Brothers -- Kurtz Bros. -- Girl Scout Troop #1661 -- Build The Bridge of Ohio, Org. -- Trudeau's Fence Company -- Bowden Fence Company -- Home Depot at US 33 and Gender Rd. in Canal Winchester -- Jim Zeier -- Livingston Seeds -- Homeless Families Foundation -- Christopher Hogan, Esq. -- U-Haul on East Main Street -- Barb & Frank Carter -- Potsabilities -- Alexander Family -- Growing to Green -- community garden program of Franklin Park Conservatory -- Crimson Cup -- Dwain Penny -- The City of Columbus -- Urban Connections -- Highland Youth Community Garden -- GreenScapes Landscaping Company -- Tree King Services -- Davey Tree Services -- Bexley Pizza Plus -- Lowe's Home Improvement store on East Broad Street -- Artist John Sunami -- McClellan Family -- Kroger's on East Main Street -- Half-Price Books in Upper Arlington -- Barb Neubig -- Penny Miller -- Whole Foods on Lane Avenue -- Emily Spector's Read to Succeed Foundation -- Donley Complete Tree Care -- Joelle Khouzam -- Neal Barkan -- Cathy & Jason Alexander -- Kim Yee -- Keep Columbus Beautiful -- Kennco Properties -- Amy Thompson -- Mid-Ohio Food Bank Urban Agriculture Grant through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service's People’s Garden Initiative -- First Congregational Church

Food Pantry Donations

For 2019, SACG gardeners collectively donated over 605 pounds pounds of fresh produce. Since breaking ground, we have collectively donated over 5460 pounds of produce -- mostly this year to Faith Mission as well as to the Salvation Army, and Victory Ministries off East Main Street. (This does not include produce provided upon request to people stopping by the SACG). A list identifying the names, addresses and donation hours of some shelters, soup kitchens and food pantries in Central Ohio which accept garden produce for their clients is included on the June 18, 2014, June 27, 2013, June 26, 2012, July 7, 2011, March 2, 2010 and March 20, 2009 postings on this blog. Nearby organizations seeking fresh produce for charitable donations on Saturdays should contact the Garden Manager.

Wish List

If you have extra and wish to help out a good cause, SACG could put your generosity to good use. The SACG is a non-profit corporation organized under Ohio law and is exempt from income tax as a public charity under § 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Donations, gifts and contributions to the SACG are tax deductible.

Trowels, hand pruners and watering cans. We never seem to have enough when more than two gardeners are here.

A cordless weed wacker (to keep those edges sharp).

Yard Waste bags We never have enough.

Patio Umbrella to replace the one destroyed by the 2018 tornado.

Bench because our ancient bench donated in 2009 has broken slats and tired & hot gardeners need a place to sit.

Books for our Free Little Library, including children's, chapter books, young adult, cook books, DIY and home improvement, novels, etc.