Fresh fruit and veggies are important to a healthful food regimen, nevertheless it’s laborious to maintain perishable meals available if one would not have a fridge or a house.

To improve the well being of homeless individuals, the CalFresh Healthy Living, University of California Cooperative Extension crew in Alameda County has partnered with the South County Homeless Project to develop recent produce for individuals staying on the emergency housing in Hayward.

For the previous seven years, CalFresh Healthy Living, UCCE Alameda has been delivering diet classes to residents of the South County Homeless Project, a part of Building Opportunities for Self Sufficiency. The lessons embody Rethink Your Drink, Food Safety, Making Every Dollar Count, Eat Healthy Be Active Community Workshops, and Fresh from the Garden.

The South County Homeless Project facility homes 24 individuals for as much as a 12 months. With the assistance of the CalFresh Healthy Living, UC Cooperative Extension crew, its present backyard was refurbished and redesigned. The massive out of doors backyard behind the ability gives therapeutic gardening alternatives to residents and gives meals for his or her meals.

“I love the garden and when the cook cooks the vegetables, they taste amazing,” said one resident. “I am thankful for this garden and for having the CalFresh Healthy Living team.”

At one time, South County Homeless Project’s backyard featured a flower garden. After years of neglect, weeds overtook the garden.

In 2022, CalFresh Healthy Living, UCCE Alameda proposed getting residents involved in growing food by resurrecting the garden with edible plants.

“Not only could we continue to engage residents in nutrition education classes, but we could also work together to reinvigorate their neglected garden,” said MaxFairbee, nutrition educator with CalFresh Healthy Living team, UCCE Alameda.

Herbs and greens

Residents and staff set out to replace the weedy beds with a vegetable and herb garden.

“We worked with South County staff and residents on the design, clean up, planting, harvesting and ultimately incorporating food from the garden into the kitchen for residents to enjoy the fruits of their labor,” Fairbee said.

For gardening expertise and support, Fairbee enlisted the UC Master Gardeners of Alameda County’s Community Garden Team to help. While the CalFresh Healthy Living, UCCE staff continued providing nutrition classes, the UC Master Gardener volunteers trained the residents on the basics of gardening.

In April, after heavy rains, the group planted 50 seedlings, half donated by the UC Master Gardeners. They planted two varieties of lettuce, arugula, four varieties of tomatoes, zucchini, kale, onions, cucumbers, green beans, Swiss chard, kale, basil, cilantro, tarragon, thyme, parsley, rosemary, oregano and mint.

From backyard to desk

“In May, we harvested lettuce and in June, we harvested green beans, cucumbers, kale and onions,” Fairbee said.

The fresh vegetables and herbs were used to prepare salads, sandwiches and pasta dishes for the residents. Fairbee and the other educators have also used the fresh produce for cooking demonstrations and tastings as part of their Fresh from the Garden class.

“We have been in a position to make use of most of the veggies as sides or to go within the salad,” mentioned one of many South County Homeless Project cooks.

“One of the cooks used the zucchini within the pasta sauce, it was so good! I did not actually know you possibly can use it that approach!” mentioned a resident.

After tasting summer squash and gazpacho made with tomatoes from the garden, a South County resident named Selina said, “I used to be shocked how good the uncooked summer season squash tasted and the way the flavour was completely different after it was cooked. I’ll undoubtedly be including extra zucchini to my plate.”

Challenges

To keep the garden healthy, they faced competition with plant-chewing snails, slugs and aphids and cats digging in the soil. Because the water source is over 200 feet from the garden, they run a long hose across the main path, along the parking lot to water the plants, then unhook the hose and stash it indoors after each use so that it won’t get stolen.

Another challenge of maintaining the garden is getting enough residents and staff to volunteer to work on it.

“Although staff are supportive of the garden, none actually have time to work in the garden,” Fairbee said.

The residents harvest, wash and store the produce in the kitchen. Only four to six of the 24 residents are typically interested in working in the garden, pulling weeds and protecting the plants from pests – most are focused on getting a new job and a home. South County residents usually leave the temporary housing within a few months.

For more consistent garden maintenance, Fairbee is looking to other community groups for volunteers. He is also hoping to persuade the county government to install a water spigot close to the garden so they can install drip irrigation to water the garden.

“We’d like to work with the UC Master Food Preservers to teach residents how to preserve herbs and vegetables,” Fairbee said.

He hopes South County Homeless Project residents will continue gardening in their new homes to grow fresh vegetables so they can enjoy a more nutritious diet and better health.

Beyond the fresh food, the South County Homeless Project residents and staff enjoy the ambience of the garden.

“It’s very nice to return there and simply sit, it is actually peaceable,” mentioned one workers member.

A resident added, “(The backyard) relaxes me from stress. I like the backyard.”

Source: University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources