The Oxford Community Garden, located behind the Family Resource Center on College Corner Pike, offers six plots for rent at $10 a plot. An additional plot is used by volunteers to grow and donate the produce they grow to the Oxford Community Choice Pantry.
The Oxford Family Resource Center (FRC) is continuing its efforts to fight poverty and hunger in Oxford with the opening of the Oxford Community Garden.
Diane Ruther-Vierling, FRC executive director, said it is important to establish the community garden, which began in April 2009.
"This year, more than 1,000 children in the Talawanda school district receive free or reduced lunches," Ruther-Vierling said. "This means they are likely living in poverty. (Some of) these working families are now out of jobs and they need help. We are teaching them a lifelong skill. Gardening is something they will be able to use to help feed their families for a very small cost."
The community garden is located behind the FRC on College Corner Pike. It offers six plots at $10 a plot and includes soil, seeds, tools and information about skills needed to garden. The biggest part of the garden is the "pantry plot" - an allotment of the garden that donates the food grown on it to the Oxford Community Choice Pantry.
"(The Choice Pantry) is the only (choice) food pantry, not only in Oxford, but in all of Butler County," said Marilyn Elzey, an FRC volunteer and project coordinator, speaking of the influence of the pantry plot.
Elzey said maintaining the new garden has been a real community effort, especially by bringing the city of Oxford and Miami University closer together.
"Miami has been extremely helpful all summer," Elzey said. "The greenhouse (and) botany department helped us plan the garden (and) students have volunteered. We even have nutrition students who give healthy recipes and suggestions to the Oxford gardeners."
The garden and the FRC are always looking for new volunteers.
"We still have more property behind the FRC" Ruther-Vierling said. "We would like to expand next year and that means we will need more volunteers."
When asked about the volunteers in the garden Rory Uhler, the thrift store coordinator and community garden volunteer, described the enthusiasm he has seen all summer.
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"Wednesday is our biggest day in the garden," Uhler said. "Gardeners and volunteers come to weed, water and harvest their food. It is really fun to see everyone working together."
Uhler also said Oxford citizens have taken the project to heart.
"This garden means a lot to everyone involved," Uhler said. "It has gotten so popular because it makes people feel proud and responsible, it shows that they are great leaders and can make their own way."
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