As the year comes to a close and the Garden and Farm are quietly sleeping until spring we invite you to take a look at some stats from the 2022 growing season with us.

Community Garden

•110+ Community Gardeners tended plots, growing food for themselves and their families in our 2 acre garden.

• From June - October, a total of over 70 youth from MY Place (formerly Boys and Girls Club), ages preK to teens attended weekly gardening classes.

• LEC continued to partner with MNSU College of Allied Health and Nursing to host our dementia- friendly Eng-AGE-ment Garden.

• We formed a new partnership with MRCI, hosting weekly classes where their clients tended their own plot and learned gardening skills.

Community Farm

• Over 2,300 lbs of fresh organic produce donated to our community partners (including ECHO Food Shelf, FOCP Summer Food Program, CADA House, and MY Place)

• More than 30 volunteers donated over 260 hours this summer including groups from ISG, LDS Youth Group, West HS National Honor Society, and Hope Interfaith Center.

• 3 YMCA group camp days where participants tended plots, cooked with solar ovens, and more!

• Partnered with Mankato Zero Waste, MVAC, and the Children’s Museum to host events ranging from compost pickup to pizza making.

Emerging Farmers Program

• In its inaugural year, the program connected 4 farmers and their families with land to grow culturally relevant food.

• Farmers tended their plots at the Community Farm with both tools and assistance from LEC’s Farm Manager and Garden Mentor at their disposal, as needed.

• In coming years the program will expand to include more emerging farmers as well as exploring ways for them to enter the local food economy if they so choose.