THE GARDEN
ABOUT THE GARDEN
The Garden is an urban farm that serves as a community classroom to teach gardening basics and nutrition education. Utilizing strategic ecosystems, the Garden maximizes the use of each resource, providing a practical and sustainable model for individual gardeners to follow. The Garden focuses on community outreach– equipping students, apartment residents, and homeowners alike with the training needed to grow fresh, healthy food on a budget.
Since August 2009, the Garden project has served as a full production, all-organic urban farm, and the cornerstone of our Nutrition Education Program. Our one-acre site produces various fresh produce, including watermelon, cantaloupe, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, beans, and many herbs and flowers. Now, we are growing more variety than ever, with a focus on heirloom plants.
MOBILE HARVEST PROGRAM
In 2018, the Garden launched its Mobile Harvest Program, which provides fresh produce to high-need areas of our community.
In addition, the Garden continues to support multiple community garden sites and to help provide healthy organic produce to area food deserts.
The Garden at High Plains Food Bank is offering a drive-through produce distribution, based on availability at two weekly sites:
- Mondays – Heal the City, located in the Generation Next parking lot at 6th and Tennessee, beginning at 11:30 a.m,
- Wednesdays – ACTS Community Resource Center, located at 202 S Louisiana, beginning at 11:30 a.m.
- Thursdays – New Hope Baptist Church, located at 1305 NW 9th Ave., beginning at 11:30 a.m
PLANT A ROW FOR THE HUNGRY
Have your own Garden? Please consider “Plant a Row for the Hungry,” a national campaign initiated by the Garden Writers Association that encourages home gardeners to plant an extra row to donate to those in need. For more information, please get in touch with Cara.
VOLUNTEER
Our regular times for volunteers to work in the Garden are Tuesday and Thursday, 9 to 11 a.m. We also offer opportunities on some Saturdays. Volunteering in the Garden must be scheduled and confirmed with staff ahead of time. To sign up, please fill out this form.
Please be aware that most of our volunteer work is done outside, weather permitting. Please wear comfortable, weather-appropriate clothes and closed-toe shoes. Also, given the nature of the work, expect to get at least a little dirty.
The Garden is a family-friendly environment, and we accept volunteers of all ages. Anyone age 13 or under must be accompanied by an adult.
EDUCATION
Gardening in the Texas Panhandle can be a difficult task. For budding gardeners seeking guidance, we offer on-site training year round which coincides with current projects in the Garden. Please contact Cara for more information.
RESOURCES
Gardening in the Texas Panhandle can be a difficult task. For budding gardeners seeking guidance, we offer on-site training year-round, which coincides with current projects in the Garden. Please contact Cara for more information.
Are you interested in starting your own Garden? The Garden at High Plains Food Bank is a teaching and learning environment which allows us to use our experiences (good and bad!) to help others. Be sure to browse the documents, websites, and publications listed below for information for gardening in the Panhandle. Each year we host a series of workshops on various topics relevant to first-time and experienced gardeners. Click here to view the current schedule and RSVP.
WEBSITES
Texas Parks and Wildlife Plant Guidance by Ecoregions