The Community Shared Garden is on YEAR TWO!
Thanks to our partners, the Willmar Lakes Area Community Shared Garden has continued to offer fresh produce to our community in 2021. Your family is welcome to take what you need at no cost to you!
Check out pictures from those who have helped plant and upkeep the garden.
Willmar Lakes Area Community Shared Garden
Kylie Halvorson, 2020 Willmar Lakes Vision 2040 intern, went out to the Willmar Lakes Area community garden with the Vision 2040 Health and Wellness Committee leader, Amber Silva, to share with the community what the garden has to offer. In an effort to get the word out, here’s some basic information you may want to know about the garden!
- Who: If you need some fresh produce, you come to the garden and pick it. There are no costs associated with it and obligations to take care of the garden. It is here for you and your family!
- What: A Garden with tomatoes, green peppers, red lettuce, mustard green lettuce available to Anyone and Everyone
- Where: Off of 15th street, behind Giovani’s Pizza
Project Why
We wanted to provide a space that families could grab produce as they needed it. There are many ‘deserts’ within Willmar and this side of town was chosen as it is one of them. The shared garden gives people access to fresh produce. Although there are gas stations nearby, these aren’t feasible ways for families to find healthy, fresh options.
In the past, we found that people had plots within the community garden. However, there were reports of certain community members having their produce taken. This project stemmed from this as an indication that people are needing produce in the area. If we can provide community members a stop where they can take produce guilt-free, all the better.
This project has an additional goal outside of providing fresh produce at no cost. Throughout the summer, there will be individuals coming and getting video to share of how-tos. Do you know when is the right time to pick lettuce, tomatoes, etc? These videos will provide you the knowledge you need to feel comfortable and ready to pick the produce for your family.
Visitors are also invited to care for the garden by picking weeds to show their pride in the community garden and its produce.
A special thanks to MNYou Inc, Carris Health and the City of Willmar who sponsored this project alongside Vision 2040 to make this shared garden a reality.
MNYou Youth Gardens
MNYou Youth Gardens works to empower youth through education, work experience and exposure to local entrepreneurs. The organization provides a safe, welcoming environment for youth to develop their entrepreneurial and gardening skills. The fresh produce grown by youth are contributed directly to families in the local community through the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program.
Vision 2040
Willmar Lakes Area Vision 2040 is a grassroots movement in Kandiyohi County to make our communities better than they were yesterday. Our mission is to support the dreamers and the doers in Kandiyohi County. We strive to create a better tomorrow through supporting projects that are community minded with special emphasis on the four focus areas; Health & Wellness, Communication, Inclusion and Engagement.
Vision 2040 is a collaborative, community-led and driven initiative composed of your neighbors, friends and coworkers.