NEEED Project garden expanding objectives

Garden owner Helene Richardson harvests sweet potatoes Saturday, Oct. 22, 2016 at the NEEED Project gardens. Some of the potatoes harvested will be distributed immediately to local organizations serving those in need, while some will be put in storage to be cured and distributed in time for Thanksgiving.
Garden owner Helene Richardson harvests sweet potatoes Saturday, Oct. 22, 2016 at the NEEED Project gardens. Some of the potatoes harvested will be distributed immediately to local organizations serving those in need, while some will be put in storage to be cured and distributed in time for Thanksgiving.

Bright orange sweet potatoes laid in stark contrast to the rich brown soil of the Heart of Missouri Garden plot as volunteers from the local Lions Club filled 10 boxes Saturday.

The volunteers had helped plant the nearly eight 47-foot-long rows of sweet potato plants in the spring.

"We were happy to do it," said Lyle Rosburg.

The collection is nearly two-thirds larger than last year's haul of sweet potatoes, donated to local food pantries through the NEEED (Nutrition, Energy, Environment and Economic Development) Project, said volunteer Jack Ryan.

This is the third full season for the NEEED community garden project on Big Horn Drive. And although it has benefited from volunteer groups from youth and school to seniors and businesses, what the not-for-profit organization needs is more volunteers to take the garden to the next level.

Helene Webster-Richardson, both a member of the Lions Club and the NEEED Project, donated the half-acre lot in the spring of 2014 as a sort of living memorial to her late husband, Murray.

That allowed NEEED, which organized in early 2013, to realize one of its goals, which is to grow and donate organic produce to local community centers, including the Second Christian Church food pantry and the Senior Nutrition Centers.

NEEED's other objectives include using well-researched technologies to convert waste material into energy, reduce CO2 pollution with environmentally-friendly soil amendments, and stimulate local economy with commercial production of new equipment and products.

Near where the Lions collected the sweet potatoes, which will be stored to cure for the next several weeks before being donated, is a plot of fall broccoli. That is a test plot for Lincoln University biochar soil amendment research led by professor Raymond Bayan.

"In many ways, this has turned out the way we envisioned it," Ryan said, looking over the plot that still is making tomatoes.

This year, the garden provided fresh okra, cantaloupe, watermelon, turnip greens and roots, tomatoes, cucumbers and eggplant to local tables. They did not grow radishes or beets, as they did in 2015.

Next spring, Ryan said he hopes their plantings better reflect what the community organizations need.

To that end, a general meeting will be at 7 p.m. Nov. 10 at the Missouri River Regional Library to have a conversation with any interested in the concept from learning more to volunteering to receiving the produce.

"We want to be more aligned with our recipients; we want them to tell us what they want and need," Ryan said.

Call 573-635-0636 or email [email protected] for more information.

Link:

neeedproject.org