To provide the community with long-term food sustainability and income-generating projects, RAMP worked with the community to build a large community garden and four school gardens in Martin County.
Homecoming Food Pantry Garden: In cooperation with the community, RAMP established a large community garden located near the Homecoming Food Pantry in 2010. This large community garden is plowed, planted, sown, and maintained by volunteers from the local community, and yields approximately 8,000 pounds of fresh produce each growing season. Food grown in the garden is made directly available to families and children served by the food pantry.
School Gardens: In 2011, RAMP expanded its gardening program into the schools of Martin County. Four of the six public schools now have a garden that the students help to prepare, plant, and harvest. Produce from the school gardens supplies school lunches and snacks, so students benefit directly from their work in the garden.
These gardens are great, but they’re just the start! RAMP’s goal is to have gardens in all six schools, the Community Center and individual homes in order to generate additional income through sales at local markets.