The Square Foot Gardening Foundation (SFGF) and PlantPure Communities (PPC) are wrapping up the 4th year of an ongoing, fruitful partnership between our two very synergistic 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. Together, our collaboration promotes healthy and sustainable diets by teaching people how to grow their own food in their backyards, schools, or communities. PPC’s global Pod Network of local community groups (“Pods”) helps leverage the important message of growing your own food by disseminating information about gardening in communities through the work of dedicated Pod leaders.
Over the years, PPC and SFGF have co-created resources, including a Gardening Toolkit and complementary gardening course, and conducted annual webinars featuring SFGF staff and expert gardeners. PPC regularly promotes the Square Foot Gardening (SFG) method on social media (you can follow us on Facebook and Instagram!). These free resources are available to members of the Pod Network and the public. In addition, Pod Leaders are encouraged to organize a SFG gardening project with their Pod or in their community each spring.
The SFG method enables people all around the world to grow their own plant-based food right at home or in their communities. The method is resource-efficient, fun for all ages, and easy to maintain. In addition to the physical benefits of getting outside and staying active, and the health perks of eating more fresh fruits and vegetables, growing your own food at home is also environmentally friendly. Eating locally reduces transportation-related emissions and the SFG method uses no fertilizers or pesticides. Do you know how much produce a 4’ x 4’ raised SFG bed can provide? Check out the photo below for an idea!
If you are interested in learning about SFGF’s humanitarian work or their blog posts, visit their website to read more. If you want to get your hands dirty in the garden, check out their courses: Level 1 for a detailed SFG introduction & Level 2 to become a Certified (gardening) Instructor. You can also order yourself the All New Square Foot Gardening: Third Edition book to help in creating your own garden.
Check out part 2 of the Gardening news story – Look What Grew, which features Pod Leader Elizabeth Fiorentino Williams and her beautiful SFG.
We invite you to let us know what you want to see from this collaboration going into 2022! If you have ideas of how you can help your community get growing, please email estephens@plantpurecommunities.org.
