Author: Michelle Simon
Planning Unit: Campbell County CES
Major Program: Agriculture and Extension Leadership Development
Plan of Work: Agriculture and Natural Resource Education - Agriculture Awareness
Outcome: Long-Term Outcome
Campbell County ANR Agent was sought out by Doug Bray, owner of the “Giving Fields”, in hopes of rejuvenating the property and bringing it back to life. The Giving Fields was a flourishing garden in northern Campbell County that produced fruit, vegetables and flowers that were all donated to the less fortunate in the area. Unfortunately, covid forced the Giving Fields to shut the garden gates and stop production. Since then, the property has sat empty with no production or activity. This caused a major decrease in the amount of fresh produce collected by the Freestore Foodbank and other local organizations that collect food for families that are food insecure. ANR Agent, Michelle Simon, met with Doug Bray and other local citizens with the goal of bringing the Giving Fields back to life. The outstanding issues were the lack of income and the lack of a farm manager willing to start seeds, use the greenhouse, manage the planting calendar and coordinate picking the produce to collect and transport to the donation centers. Campbell County ANR Agent shared the concept of a community garden to produce income to offset the operation costs which has become the “Giving Fields Rent-a- Row” program where participants have garden access for themselves and grow butternut squash to be donated to La Soupe to be made into soup for the hungry. Local businesses and schools are involved in the production and upkeep of the property which brings awareness of not only food production and the need for agriculture in Campbell County, but also the vast diversity of the population of the county and local needs. Additionally, the ANR Agent recruited a new family to the area that was interested in farming and volunteering and connected them with Mr. Bray. This family did not have the means or location to farm but the desire to learn and grow their knowledge and they are now managing the farm. They have the greenhouse in production with seeds germinating, a plan for the garden and orchard and spreading the word of the Giving Fields reboot to other interested community members. The Campbell County ANR Agent took the seed of hope and dug deep which brought the Giving Fields back into production and back to Life!
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