WORTHINGTON — What started as a way for the University of Minnesota Extension office in Nobles County to keep in touch with the community during COVID-19, turned into a beloved, growing program. Worthington now has two community gardens for families to not only grow plants, but gain knowledge.
Jose Lamas, U of M Extension financial capability educator for Nobles County, has worked with families in the community since 2021, starting a
garden-in-a-box program
. Through the Minnesota State Horticultural Society, Nobles County received a number of gardening kits that included free plants, seeds, soil and more.
When Lamas’s supervisor, Silvia Alvarez Aguilar de Davila, wanted the community to form together and get to know each other, the idea of a community garden was suggested.
The community garden on the grounds of Minnesota West Community and Technical College uses a nearby fire hydrant as the water source.
Chloe Farnsworth / The Globe
“At the very beginning, they gave us some containers for families to keep their gardens at home, but we were able to visit them and to meet outdoors,” Alvarez Aguilar de Davila said. “So it started like that, just finding ways to keep in touch with the community, but then later, we found that these families love this project.”
Lamas said he couldn’t have taken the lead on the project without receiving a number of different grants. A $9,820 grant was received from the Worthington Regional Health Care Foundation. Other grants came from Nobles Cooperative Electric and the Worthington Area Community Foundation.
One garden is located near the greenhouse at Minnesota West Community and Technical College and the other is by a small pond at the District 518 Community Education building. The gardening project is oriented to promote health and well-being in Latino families.
The families that participated in 2021 are still involved.
“That’s why we keep growing,” Lamas said. There are now around 100 families gardening through the program. Around 10 families have 10- by 10-foot plots at the Minnesota West community garden and about 15 families garden at Community Ed.
Despite the hot summer days, produce is still growing healthily at the community gardens.
Chloe Farnsworth / The Globe
They grow, water and harvest their own plants. Many of the families in the program garden at home using the garden-in-a-box kits. There are 12 families in Windom participating in the program as well. Lamas said families are growing peppers, summer squash, tomatoes, lettuce, radish, pumpkins, cucumbers, corn and a lot more.
“We provide the plants,” Lamas said. “But if they want to bring something else… You can plant anything you want.”
Alvarez Aguilar de Davila said it’s not only about gardening, but they also promote school success, finances, education and nutrition. U of M Extension offers online education for families as well as in-person events for them to socialize.
“It was something exciting to have to collaborate with Minnesota West in different ways,” Lamas said. “Not just to (use their land), but also a mini class about how to start plants and what type of soil to use.”
A community garden in Worthington located behind the Community Education building, near the pond for a water source.
Chloe Farnsworth / The Globe
Lamas said they give family members bags with journals, markers, bug spray, gloves and other things to help families keep track of what’s happening in the garden.
When talking about the importance of these community gardens, Lamas said one reason is families collaborating and getting to know each other. “But also the scarcity,” he added. “Food and security… that’s another part too because now things cost more.”
Lamas said he learned from surveys that families enjoy spending time together gardening. They also shared tips in the survey about how they save their seeds for the next year or freeze the food they have.
“I’m really happy about the families… that way they save money,” Lamas said. “And they learn things… They learn about eating healthy too. It’s always family oriented and it helps to form memories together that last a lifetime, I think, because they’re going to remember this.”
Alvarez Aguilar de Davila said Lamas is doing a great job in the community with contacting people in ways that they need.
“Sometimes he actually knocks on doors, he calls them over the phone or he even brings all the materials to their homes because sometimes they don’t have transportation,” she said. “It’s a really successful program that I am proud to be part of.”
She also said there is research that claims gardening promotes well-being, improves mental health and reduces stress while providing a space for connecting with nature.
There is talk about starting a third garden in the community, but that’s not set in stone quite yet. Lamas said if they were to have the possibility, they would want it on the other side of town, in a different direction from the other two, to provide an option for those who may not be able to travel.
Individuals interested in joining the community gardens are encouraged to contact Jose Lamas at (507) 295-5313 or lamas006@umn.edu.