From the Heart of a Beloved Garden Blitz Volunteer

Written by Jayne Rising, Garden Blitz volunteer and mentor

My journey with the New Leaf Foods Garden Blitz began in 2015. I’d been considering an expansion of my own garden and since I don’t drive, was dreaming about getting materials delivered to my house without having to take out a second mortgage. I don’t remember precisely how, but my Internet search led me to the Garden Blitz. For a very reasonable fee, they’d deliver a nice raised bed, complete with good, organic soil! Woo hoo! I placed my order and eagerly awaited my new bed. 

Jayne looks forward to being a part of providing new gardens to Lincoln Elementary School this year

The day came, and sure enough, a truck pulled up. The bed frame had been delivered earlier and these people were here to fill it with soil. We started talking and I learned about the mentorship program. The requirements were easy enough to meet, so I put in my application and was placed with my first mentee. I enjoyed the family enough to sign up for next year, and have been a Garden Blitz mentor ever since. I love teaching people how to grow their own food! It’s very uplifting to see people helping themselves and building a sustainable agricultural community right here in Green Bay.

From there, I went on to admin the Facebook page. I did that for 18 months, helping to raise awareness of the Blitz and bring in volunteers for the big weekend. I went on to earn my Master Gardener certification in 2017, and was assigned to Lincoln Elementary School in 2019. I’m still there, helping 5th graders learn about where food comes from and how we can grow our own. I enjoy working with the kids! They’re so eager and open to the experience, and of course everyone loves digging in the dirt. I co-taught the FoodWise program in 2020 using a virtual format thanks to the ‘Rona. Not nearly as much fun as fresh air and human interaction, but everyone did their best and the students learned valuable information. 

I also participate in the Planting For A Purpose program through UW-Extension. Gardeners in the area plant some extra food in our gardens and donate it to local food banks. Together we donated over 6400 pounds of food in 2020! Given the tough year so many have had, it feels good to help feed my community. There are too many hungry in a good year, and 2020 wasn’t a good year. 

This year there’s a brand new garden being built at Lincoln, and I’m looking forward to being a part of it. Go Garden Blitz!