Kane County Garden A Bounty of Goodwill
So far this year, 251 pounds of vegetables and herbs have been donated to the Batavia Interfaith Food Pantry thanks to the work of Kane County staff volunteers who developed a garden on the Geneva campus.
The most recent harvest collected this week totaled 39 pounds and included different varieties of tomatoes and peppers, squash and basil.
Kane County staff volunteer their time to maintain the garden and harvest the bounty every week, which is then delivered to the Batavia Interfaith Food Pantry and Clothes Closet (www.bataviafoodpantry.org). Upon receiving their first donation earlier this summer, Executive Director Eileen Pasero said their clients really look forward to fresh produce.
“We are so grateful to Kane County for sharing their bounty. There’s nothing better than straight from the garden,” said Pasero, Executive Director of the Batavia Interfaith Food Pantry and Clothes Closet. “Our client families are so appreciative of fresh herbs like cilantro; it was gone in a snap.”
“We have a dedicated group of staff volunteers who have helped realize the goal of delivering fresh produce to local food pantries,” said Kurt Lebo Kane County’s Spatial Solutions Officer and co-creator of the garden.
The 24-by-24-foot plot contains tomatillos, bell peppers, banana peppers, thai peppers, squash and pumpkin.
Lebo says harvesting will likely continue through the end of September and he hopes to expand the garden next year.
The Government Center Garden was made possible with the donation of materials and services by area organizations including the Geneva Home Depot, Neri Landscaping, Midwest Compost, and the Kane County Forest Preserve. Several residents also donated tools and plants for the effort.
