(Atlantic, Iowa) –  Cass County businesses and organizations are coming together to address hunger and improve nutrition by growing food. This spring, through a Growing Together grant from Iowa State Extension, Cass County Master Gardeners and Grow Another Row provided free food plants to people visiting food pantries and Grow Another Row stands. When the Atlantic Hy-Vee Lawn and Garden Center closed for the season in July, the store donated additional food plants and herbs to the project. The Atlantic Lions Club also received a grant this spring from the Cass County Community Foundation to expand and enhance the community garden at Mollett Park in Atlantic, adding garden space and installing edible landscape plants.

Cass County Wellness Coordinator Brigham Hoegh says, “Combined, these efforts are creating more access to fresh, local produce in yards, gardens and produce stands across the county.”
Cass County was one of 36 communities awarded Growing Together grant funding. Grow Another Row and the Cass County Master Gardeners applied for this grant last winter. The funding is being used to maintain a community donation garden, coordinate produce donations through Grow Another Row, and provide nutrition education to food pantry clients and others in the county. This spring, seeing additional need for space and resources to grow food, the Atlantic Lions Club applied for and received a Cass County Community Foundation grant to expand and enhance the community garden at Mollett Park in Atlantic. Fruit trees we installed, with plans to install berry bushes and educational signage soon, laying the groundwork for a community edible landscape space. Additional raised garden beds were also added, along with rainwater collection units and educational signage which will enhance the garden space that is used for both private and donation gardening.

Where did these ideas come from? Food pantries across the county have seen increased patronage over the past three years. For example, the number of households served by the Atlantic Food Pantry has grown four times over the past four years. Each week the pantry currently provides supplemental food to an average of 68 households (150 people) or about 10 percent
of the people living in poverty in Cass County. Food insecurity is a reality. Additionally, fruits and vegetables are important sources of nutrition, and many people prefer to eat fresh produce and enjoy growing their own food. Last year, the Cass County COVID-19 Mobile Food For All program surveyed participants and found a majority were either interested in growing their own food or already doing so. Common barriers to food growing for some individuals and families includes a lack of lawn space for gardening or physical limitations. Using that information, Grow Another Row partnered with area food pantries to distribute free food plants last summer, including many “patio” tomatoes and other plants that grow well in containers. The plants were well-received.

Working together, Grow Another Row, Cass County Master Gardeners, the Atlantic Lions Club, and Cass County Extension are also partnering to provide educational programming on produce gardening, including garden tours, planting demonstrations, and opportunities to assist with garden maintenance and harvesting, to food pantry clients and others in the county. Grow Another Row is a program of the Healthy Cass County coalition that provides free, fresh local produce across the county through a network of produce sharing sites managed by volunteers. Produce donated to the program is also shared through all four Cass County food pantries. Grow Another Row is always looking for volunteers to grow, harvest, bag, and transport produce across the county. Individuals and groups—such as service organizations, churches, or workplaces—are welcome to join the effort! All residents of Cass County are invited to participate in the Grow Another Row program and “take what you need; share what you can”!

For more information on Grow Another Row, and to sign up for the program’s email newsletter or volunteer, visit https://www.extension.iastate.edu/cass/content/grow-another-row-cass-county or contact Cass County Extension Director Kate Olson or Cass County Wellness Coordinator Brigham Hoegh at 712-243-1132. For information on food available at Grow Another Row stands, as well as information on Cass County food pantries, farmers markets, and other local food initiatives, follow the Cass County Local Food Policy Council on Facebook
@CassCountyLocalFood.