A Brief History of the GardensFounded on April 15, 2008 St. Bernardine's Monastery Hollidaysburg, PA The Blair County Community Gardens set its roots at the grounds of the Hollidaysburg Veterans Home for 32 years It provided the community with garden plots on which gardeners could grow fruits and vegetables for family use. It had a long history and was especially popular during war years. The Blair County Master Gardeners of the Penn State Extension service gave oversight and basic information and education to area community gardeners. In 2007, when it was announced the government planned to build an armory near the garden site, Blair County Penn State Cooperative Extension Director, Tom Ford and Pat Trimble, chairperson of the Master Gardener Community Gardens project, began the search for a new garden site. The Franciscans of St. Bernardine's Monastery offered two, one-acre plots for use as a community garden. The new site was officially approved on April 15, 2008. The friars, under the leadership of Father Patrick Foley and Brother John Kerr, along with several Penn State Master Gardeners and community gardeners planted the first garden. All the vegetables grown in the food donation gardens are delivered to area food distribution agencies, nursing homes, assisted living homes and soup kitchens. No agency has ever been turned away. In 2015, the Monastery Community Gardens became associated with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul as a special project. That year was a banner year for community gardeners and the garden - vegetables were harvested and sent to our hungry neighbors. 
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The Food Donation Project
The Food Donation Project gardens, under the supervision of Jim Yeager, consists of a field garden and two high tunnels. The second high tunnel was erected and completed in early spring, 2018. The donation project depends on an “all volunteer” group to prepare, plant, water and weed, as well as harvest and distribute the crops to feed our hungry community.
We rely on agencies such as food banks, soup kitchens, nursing homes, shelters and churches to distribute to and/or feed the less fortunate. Thanks to a dedicated volunteer force contributing over 1,300 volunteer hours. 2012: 2,000 lbs 2013: 3,493 lbs 2014: 4,920 lbs 2015: 7,910 lbs 2016: 7,900 lbs 2017: 6,645 lbs 2018: 8,330 lbs 2019: 8,984 lbs 2020: 13,081 lbs 2021: 22,000 lbs 2022: 13,000+ |
