Et cetera : AmeriCorps NCCC Team Maple 7 Plants and Harvests Organic Produce for Matthew 25"�s Cultivate Hope

By: Jack Shock, AmeriCorps NCCC member

Maple 7 served in Cedar Rapids with Cultivate Hope, an urban farming program directed by Matthew 25, a nonprofit organization focused on neighborhood development from May 8 to May 19. The team was able to see the effects of poverty and obesity in the upper-west side neighborhoods of Cedar Rapids, and hopes that their service provided a means for the community to develop healthy diet choices.

While there Maple 7 prepared and maintained five different urban garden plots and three local school gardens, including the installment of drip irrigation systems to garden beds and the harvesting of green onions and leeks to be sold at NewBo City Market. The produce that is not sold will be donated to Green Square Meals, an organization in Cedar Rapids that provides meals to anyone in need. Maple 7 also planted broccoli, peppers, tomatoes, kale, lettuce, squash, cabbage, radishes, onions, and various herbs.

"It was exciting to gain farming skills, such as planting seeds and operating machinery in the field. Cultivate Hope is great because it provides fresh, affordable vegetables to low-income neighborhoods. I was happy to help the community develop a healthy food culture,"� says Tali, a member from Winchester, Idaho.

During their two weeks serving with Cultivate Hope the team maintained 5 urban gardens, harvested over 250 vegetables, built a fence, paint 1 house, prepared 3 acres of farm land for refugee farms and removed 500 pounds of weeds. Cultivate Hope is one of Matthew 25's three programs designed to empower people to transform neighborhoods. Cultivate hope maintains urban farms, facilitates school garden programs, and advocated for food education

The team is now serving in Coon Rapids, IA with White Rock Conservancy assisting in invasive species removal and improving public facilities on the conservancies over 5500 acres. They will be there until June 28.