Friday, March 07, 2025

Ever pondered growing your own produce but found your space is limited and shrouded in shade? For minimal dwellers fostering a garden might mean a small herb garden. For those without sunlight, artificial light sources are a viable secondary option. While patience is key to gardening success, having essential ingredients is just as critical for cultivating healthy plants. You need water, sunlight, and good soil. With March ushering in a new season, there’s no better time to dig into food gardening. Good Cheer’s Food Bank off Grimm Road offers plenty of gardening opportunities for budding green thumbs.

The Langley Good Cheer thrift shop has always been a favorite of mine. When I was little I would hide between the clothes racks just waiting to scare some unsuspecting shoppers. It’s heartwarming to see some of the same volunteers dedicated to Good Cheer’s mission. I think it’s still one of only places you can score a coveted piece on the island that isn’t overpriced. But Good Cheer is far more than just a network of south end thrift stores.

Starting as a toy drive in the 1960s, Good Cheer evolved into the nonprofit food bank we love today. It serves countless community members while producing its own fresh, pesticide-free, GMO-free produce year-round. Their Community Connection program goes a step further, offering services and partnerships to help those in need. This dynamic network of staff, volunteers, donors, and shoppers embodies a spirit of mutual support.

With March here, Good Cheer is actively recruiting volunteers for its food garden. As the last of the carrots and beets are harvested, preparations for a spring and summer bounty are underway. When I visited the garden this past Tuesday, many crop beds were still “tucked in” for the season underneath tarps. The only things readily available for the food bank were winter vegetables that can endure the chills.

“This is the perfect time for you to get involved in gardening. We are at the influx of winter and spring. It’s about to ramp up big time,” says Outreach Coordinator Jenn Dunlap.

In addition to the Grimm Road garden plot, Good Cheer expanded its grounds in 2015. They began cultivating an acre of land behind the historic Bayview School. Today, they manage 1.25 acres and their main focus is growing winter vegetables. This strategy keeps fresh produce available during the food bank’s busiest seasons. The garden crew harvests these crops directly from the field as needed. This enables them to provide fresh produce nearly every week of the year. Any surplus is shared with community partners like Whidbey Island Nourishes. They also share with with Senior Resources and other organizations. These organizations are dedicated to addressing food access.

If you’re eager to learn about starting a food garden, volunteering at Good Cheer is just one of the many ways to get involved. It offers hands-on experience in gardening and also allows you to give back to your community. For more information, visit https://goodcheer.org/garden/.