A COMMUNITY GARDEN FOR THE COMMUNITY

A COMMUNITY GARDEN

FOR THE COMMUNITY

Providence hospital garden keeps giving in pandemic times

By Tony Boom

for the Mail Tribune

Providence Medford Medical Center employees already on the front lines during the front lines during the pandemic are the pandemic are stretching a little stretching a little more to conmore to continue the Garden tinue the Garden of Giving, an effort on the of Giving, an effort on the campus to provide fresh procampus to provide fresh produce to vulnerable duce to vulnerable members of members of the community that is in its sixth year.

“It’s just a matter of wanting to give wanting to give back to the commuback to the community, especially this year nity, especially this year because of the pandemic,” because of the pandemic,” said organizer Lila said organizer Lila Farney, a Providence Farney, a Providence caregiver in the new caregiver in the new patient call center. The patient call center. The garden produced more garden produced more than 540 pounds of than 540 pounds of produce for donations produce for donations in 2019. It looks like in 2019. It looks like that number will be that number will be exceeded this year. exceeded this year.

Early in the panEarly in the pandemic there were demic there were thoughts of not thoughts of not doing the garden, doing the garden, but not for a lack but not for a lack of desire, said of desire, said Farney.

There were There were concerns about worker about worker and recipient and recipient safety, but Jackson County Jackson County Public Health Public Health advised the organizadvised the organizers that as long as ers that as long as they socially disthey socially distanced in the garden tanced in the garden and wore gloves and wore gloves when picking produce, they could go when picking produce, they could go ahead. ahead.

“It started basically as a commu“It started basically as a community garden for employees to plant nity garden for employees to plant and harvest and do and harvest and do that for local that for local charities,” said charities,” said Farney, who took Farney, who took over management of over management of the garden when her supervisor the garden when her supervisor moved away last year. moved away last year. Both Farney and Donna Both Farney and Donna Bachek, supervisor of dietary Bachek, supervisor of dietary services, say there seems to services, say there seems to a greater outpouring of effort by a greater outpouring of effort by

Providence employees, likely sparked Providence employees, likely sparked by the increased community need due by the increased community need due to the pandemic. to the pandemic.

Access Food Pantry and Hearts with Access Food Pantry and Hearts with a Mission have been regular produce a Mission have been regular produce recipients. New recipients for 2020 recipients. New recipients for 2020 include an Access Food Pantry in Gold include an Access Food Pantry in Gold Hill, a small food pantry at Hill, a small food pantry at the Odd Fellows Hall in the Odd Fellows Hall in Gold Hill and CompasGold Hill and Compassion Highway Project. sion Highway Project. The Maslow Project has The Maslow Project has been a recipient in the been a recipient in the past. past. “I’m just constantly looking for partners to looking for partners to take our vegetables,” said take our vegetables,” said Farney. Among the most Farney. Among the most common produce items are common produce items are tomatoes, squash, cucumber, tomatoes, squash, cucumber, eggplant, kale, onions, pepeggplant, kale, onions, peppers and green beans. pers and green beans. The garden has 12 raised beds that measure about 6 by 12 feet each. A drip irrigation system provides water for the plants. Fry Family Farm has been a regular donor of starts. Several vendors at the Rogue Valley vendors at the Rogue Valley

Growers and Crafters Market Growers and Crafters Market provided starts this year, including provided starts this year, including

Beebe Farms in Central Point and Beebe Farms in Central Point and

Round House Farms in Gold Hill. Round House Farms in Gold Hill.

SEE GARDEN, PAGE 20

The community garden produced more than 540 pounds of produce for donations in 2019. It looks like that number will be exceeded this year.

GARDEN From Page 19

Wandering Roots Farm in Gold Hill donated seeds for future gardens, and Grange Co-op donated money to help purchase supplies.

The overriding goal for Farney early in the season is to make sure everything is moving forward, that beds are ready and starts get in the soil.

“After that is just making sure to connect with the people involved in wanting to know what is needed,” said Farney.

There’s a closed Facebook group at Providence that helps keep employees informed and features pictures of the garden. Farney has also worked with Providence communications personnel to boost the internal information efforts.

“As the garden is right outside where I physically work, it’s easy for me to just go outside on lunch and breaks and work in the garden,” said Farney. She was furloughed from her position during spring but continued her garden efforts. That included enlisting her children in propagating starts that went into the garden.

A corps of volunteers keeps things going, joined by others, said Farney. Among them is Bachek, who Farney calls her go-to person for questions and right-hand helper.

“I am not a gardener. I lean on people who know what they are doing,” said Farney. Other regular supporters include Julie Laferriere, a surgical technician from Maternity Services, Mitch Stephens, a certified medical assistant, and Jessica Bray, a staffing supervisor who helps Farney with organizing and scheduling.

Family members and friends have also come out with the volunteers at times of major work such as preparing the beds and planting. At other times it’s just Providence workers at the site during daylight hours.

A break area is near the garden, and Bachek said it’s not unusual for employees to stop by during their breaks and help harvest and fill buckets that Farney leaves out for the produce.

“Folks will harvest some vegetables or pull some weeds. That seems constantly to be an issue,” said Bachek, who has worked on the garden since its creation in 2015. Harvesting usually continues until late September, she said.

COURTESY PHOTOS

“As the garden is right outside where I physically work, it’s easy for me to just go outside on lunch and breaks and work in the garden,” said organizer Lila Farney, a Providence caregiver in the new patient call center who was furloughed from her position this spring but continued her garden e orts.