Graduates of this year’s GARDEN Project, a collaboration of GCC, the New England Learning Center for Women in Transition (NELCWIT), and the Women’s Center of the Montague Catholic Social Ministries (MCSM), funded by a grant from the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts, celebrated on Friday June 24. They had completed four 1-credit “re-skilling” courses: Organic Gardening, Food Preservation and Storage, Creating Farm and Food Cooperatives, and Permaculture Landscape Installation and Management. Through the courses, the women develop knowledge and skills to enable them to grow and preserve vegetables and fruits for themselves and their families, and consider developing cooperative businesses to provide income and community economic development.

With the help of mentor’s from last year’s students, this year’s GARDEN Project housed at the Women’s Center of Turners Falls, expanded on last year’s successes at NELCWIT. With the support of instructor Deb Habib and GCC intern Sha Connelly, raised beds built and planted last year at NELCWIT’s Main Street in Greenfield location have been replanted; women and their families will be harvesting lettuces, beans, tomatoes, cukes, squash, basil and other herbs throughout the summer and fall. A program goal to build in continuity from year to year has been achieved.

Eager to augment produce from this year’s raised beds in front of the Women’s Center on Third Street in Turners Falls, Sha also encouraged each participant to plant in her own backyard. Those families without access to land have established beds at Turners’ Unity Park. One family has planted six! The eldest grandson, inspired by three beds  established by his grandmother, planted his own. His two younger siblings followed suit.

And it turns out that men are in on the project, too! Twice monthly, fathers who have participated in Reskilling courses at the Franklin County House of Corrections attend a men’s group at the Women’s Center. This project really does create community connections!

Other efforts to support area women in creating food access and economic opportunity include an upcoming ServSafe Food Handler certification course, taught in English and Spanish, for sixteen GARDEN Project participants, the Turner’s Falls Women’s Club established by 2015 participants, and an emerging Woman Folk Women’s Venture Center. Stay tuned for ripple effects from next year’s GARDEN Project to be held in Orange.