Grown for a good cause
Bountiful farming education
By Angie Theado |
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Ever wondered how you can harvest tomatoes from your garden, reduce the environmental impact of your food, or even just wanted to get out of the city for a day?
At the Stratford Ecological Center, located in a state nature preserve in Delaware, Ohio, passionate people are teaching these skills and logical concepts through hands-on experiences with nature on 236 acres of land. The Center provides programs and events for people of all ages and experience levels interested in getting a little agriculture into their lives.
A functional and certified-organic farm, this non-profit agricultural education center sells produce that is personally picked by visitors to the farm, fresh cuts of meat, honey, eggs, and more. It is a relaxing break from the busy grocery stores and mass-packaged produce. The Center offers a glimpse into the other side of food, one that very few of us "city slickers" get to experience.
The proceeds from all of these items, including educational program income, are channeled back into operating costs. Volunteers and interns are needed year-round to help maintain and fulfill this noble cause. Unsold products are donated to Delaware's People in Need, a growing not-for-profit social services agency dedicated to providing emergency assistance for people in need.
My garden is overgrown, with weeds up to my hip and lettuce leaves broad enough sleep under. I have tomato plant "volunteers" that have established dominance over the beets I planted in March. It makes me wonder if I might be a sub-standard gardener. The Center is a place for learning, an organization that can help us gain and refine important skills that are easy to lose sight of in today's urban-oriented world. Gardening is not only relaxing, especially for people with high-stress jobs and big-city schedules, it also produces healthy food we can serve at our own table. That is a skill we cannot afford to lose.
Stratford Ecological Center
3083 Liberty Rd.
Delaware, Ohio 43015
(740) 363-2548
www.stratfordecologicalcenter.org
Originally Published: August 1, 2009
