Phot o from the Clairmont Community Garden Facebook page.

By Curtis Galbraith

Community

Organizers of Clairmont Community Garden hoping to make big food bank donation this fall

Jun 25, 2022 | 7:00 AM

Organizers behind the Clairmont Community Garden are hoping to make a much bigger donation to the Sexsmith and Area Food Bank this year than last year.

More than 400 pounds of vegetables, mostly potatoes, tomatoes, and cabbage were donated in 2021

Garden founder and Chair Devin Bateman says his goal for this year is 1000 pounds.

“I see what is happening in the world, I see there is food insecurity and things like that.”

“Part of the reason I started to donate to the food bank was because I tried a different model with my garden to have private ownership and it caused a lot of friction and drama and so I basically said one day no, we’re going to stop this and I’m just going to give it all to the food bank.”

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Bateman says he has added sugar snap peas this year, something he thinks the food bank will like.

He adds 40 Grade 1 children have planted some vegetables that they can keep or donate.

“My theory is if we can do this every year if we do this every single year, and these kids go through this program every year, then we’ll create a little army in Clairmont who are going to know how to garden and know how to grow their own food.”

Bateman says a study from the County of Grande Prairie showed that from 2018 through 2021, the need for the food bank tripled right around the time they plan to harvest the garden in the fall.

“I think part of this is attributed to the fact that kids are going back to school and things of that nature, so (I’ve) really doubled up my efforts to the food bank.”

“This is literally the most vulnerable time of the year when people need the food and, yeah. people are definitely, definitely struggling.”

Bateman says the garden started before COVID and he says the need for food has gone up and is not slowing down.