June 19 – As it rained all afternoon, The Foodbank Inc. garden team members demonstrated. the phenomenal esprit de corps that keeps fresh produce on the table for many in the Miami Valley.
“Since its inception, the garden has produced more than 41,500 pounds of fresh produce for distribution to our neighbors,” said MariAlexxa Holman, direct marketing coordinator for the Food Bank. She nominated the garden team for recognition as a Dayton Daily News Community Gem, adding that the group also diverted more than 100,000 pounds of waste from landfills last year.
The Food Bank’s garden team has become a staple in the Dayton area, Holman said, serving as an inspiration and role model for equity and sustainability.
The 10-acre garden, which was once an old parking lot next to the warehouse, houses a small greenhouse for starting seeds, a large hydroponic greenhouse for year-round lettuce growing, and a barrel composting facility, according to the garden. team manager James Hoffer. “It’s a diverse farm.”
A variety of fruits and vegetables, including tomatoes, peppers, pumpkins, okra, green beans, peas, garlic and carrots, thrive in 40 outdoor raised beds and other containers, he added. The pretty marigolds help deter rabbits from nibbling on the beds. The pollinator gardens also keep the crew learning, collaborating and working all year round.
Holman said it is “a place of beauty in an underserved and blighted area that is not only beautiful but also beneficial in many ways to zip code 45417.”
“I like to think that we grow three things at The Foodbank: ourselves, the community and lettuce,” said team member Bryan Walbridge as he tended fourteen varieties of lettuce in the large hydroponic garden. Other garden team members are Courtney Curtner, Clara Bement and Nathan Vanbeysterveldt.
In the colder months, the team plants seeds in the greenhouse to get things started, then transplants them to the outdoor containers at the start of the growing season.
For more than 40 years, the Food Bank has served as the primary food source for the hunger relief network in the Miami Valley through a network of partner organizations, Hoffer said. The Food Bank provides the infrastructure for more than 100 food banks, community kitchens and shelters serving members in Montgomery, Greene and Preble counties.
According to Walbridge, the on-site greenhouse was constructed and fully operational in November 2021. It is named after Beverly K. Greene, the late matriarch of the Greene family, who sponsored its planning and construction.
The Beverly K. Greenehouse is 6,000 square feet and features a hydroponic system from Ohio-based company Cropking. According to Hoffer, more than 100,000 heads of lettuce have been harvested to date, with a current average of 1,400 heads per month. The fresh food they grow is distributed exclusively to more than 100 food banks and other partner organizations in The Foodbank’s network – in addition to The Foodbank’s weekly on-site Drive Thru.
In 2019, the garden team took the lead in the region by implementing an impressive in-vessel composting machine. It protects food waste from pests and harsh weather conditions while creating an optimal environment for composting.
The process in the composter takes 14 to 21 days; and the product is then moved to a separate location to “cure” for another 30 days. This composting system allows the Food Bank to use food spoilage to create a nutrient-rich soil amendment while diverting food from the landfill.
Not surprisingly, the work does not end here.
Crew members regularly attend community planning meetings, advocating for poorer areas to receive resources that affluent communities typically receive.
Hoffer added that the team also aims to make the Food Bank’s garden and greenhouse a frequent stop for school field trips, teaching younger generations the importance of taking care of the planet.
The process of growing and distributing fresh vegetables also offers many educational opportunities for volunteers, employees, interns and anyone interested in a tour.
For more information about the Food Bank and its services, visit thefoodbankdayton.org.
