Volunteers are hard at work at the Peter McKee Community Food Garden.
Executive Director Christine Taylor says they’ll continue to offer Affordable Food Markets this summer, so everyone has fresh fruits, vegetables and other produce.
“Once a month, we’re going to have lettuce, corn and different things like that and we’re going to offer it for sale. It’s whatever you can afford to pay for it. So if you have a nickel and you need something, that’s fine,” Taylor says.
This isn’t a new feature at the Peter McKee Community Centre, but Taylor says in previous years, the market looked a little different. “They previously had a few things available that were brought in, but now we are growing it ourselves. It also seemed to be the same people who used it all the time, maybe they were contacted. We’ve had a couple so far, and our goal isn’t to make money off it, it’s just to ensure the products are accessible to everyone,” Taylor adds.
Cliff Nzombato is this year’s Garden coordinator, and Taylor says he wants to grow 50, 000 pounds of food this season.
“He’s passionate about gardening. He knows all about the right kind of bugs to put where and worms and all this stuff and what seeds should go with what. So when he says he wants to grow that much food, I believe it because look around, he’s got things planted in every little container possible,” Taylor says.
Two summer students are also assisting in the warehouse and helping to maintain the garden.
If you have a green thumb, but nowhere to plant at your home, you can also rent a box in the Community Garden. “Anyone can come in and rent a box for $30 for the whole year. That includes seeds, water, tools workshops, soil and fertilizer. It just gives people who live in the City a place where they can garden. Some of them have flowers and other vegetables,” Taylor says.
Close to sixty boxes have been rented out this summer. Ten additional boxes were added this year to rent. She adds they have even done payment plans for those who can’t afford to pay for the boxes up front, or donated them to those who don’t have any money at all.
(Photo: TDCB)
Taylor says it was a difficult winter for the Centre with the emergency homeless shelter next door for the winter months. It was located in the Lions Centre on St. George Street in Moncton.
She adds she was glad they had a place to go, and things started out okay, but there were some growing concerns.
“Police and ambulance all of the time. Death, overdoses and a lot of violence around this area and a lot of fear. Some clients were afraid to come and do their food orders. We had to hire security because some of our volunteers were threatened on a daily basis, and spit at. If we lose our volunteers, then we might as well shut down,” Taylor stated.
The emergency shelter closed at the end of June, but it is expected to reopen in the fall, once the province finds a new provider to run it.
Taylor says at the Peter McKee Community Garden, people can come and feel safe, “They can use the washrooms, or the water fountain if they need to. We are about helping people.”
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