CUBA, N.Y. — A new organization in Allegany County, that began just 17 days ago, already has hundreds of members and an event planned for later this month. Grow It Forward Southern Tier NY/ NW PA is the creation of Yvonne Gavett, who moved back to the area three years ago. “I watched the demise the small farms when Walmart came in, and I-86. It was a steady decline,” Gavett said. While she lived in Oregon, she was involved with a group that helped to promote food security and the ability of people to grow their own food. Important then, and even more people have learned the benefits of growing, and community, in this year of COVID -19 as the interest in growing food has skyrocketed. “People who grow gardens, we always have excess stuff, seeds, produce. The premise is what you have left over, you share it with someone who wants to grow,” Gavett said. “It’s helping someone and it doesn’t stop with seeds, plants and stuff.” It can include pots and starter pots, extra gardening gloves or other farm or garden tools and implements lying around in an uncleaned storage area or barn, mulch, extra plants and even manure. As the season progresses, extra vegetables and fruits that are harvested and not needed will be shared. Gavett would eventually like to begin gleaning and post-harvest opportunities to help the community. In Oregon, the group she was involved with helped out other community members in need of assistance, telling of a woman with cancer who had a small vineyard. They went in and cleaned up the grape vines and also helped clean up the garden of a man who had hurt his back. The group will be holding a seed swap at Cuba Circulating Library, at 39 E. Main St., on May 22 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and there will be a door prize with random garden items collected by Gavett as a thank you to the group for joining. “You help someone else growing food and reducing food insecurity,” she said. “If you can help someone grow, in turn people help you.”
CUBA, N.Y. — A new organization in Allegany County, that began just 17 days ago, already has hundreds of members and an event planned for later this month.
Grow It Forward Southern Tier NY/ NW PA is the creation of Yvonne Gavett, who moved back to the area three years ago. “I watched the demise the small farms when Walmart came in, and I-86. It was a steady decline,” Gavett said.
While she lived in Oregon, she was involved with a group that helped to promote food security and the ability of people to grow their own food. Important then, and even more people have learned the benefits of growing, and community, in this year of COVID -19 as the interest in growing food has skyrocketed.
“People who grow gardens, we always have excess stuff, seeds, produce. The premise is what you have left over, you share it with someone who wants to grow,” Gavett said. “It’s helping someone and it doesn’t stop with seeds, plants and stuff.” It can include pots and starter pots, extra gardening gloves or other farm or garden tools and implements lying around in an uncleaned storage area or barn, mulch, extra plants and even manure. As the season progresses, extra vegetables and fruits that are harvested and not needed will be shared.
Gavett would eventually like to begin gleaning and post-harvest opportunities to help the community. In Oregon, the group she was involved with helped out other community members in need of assistance, telling of a woman with cancer who had a small vineyard. They went in and cleaned up the grape vines and also helped clean up the garden of a man who had hurt his back.
The group will be holding a seed swap at Cuba Circulating Library, at 39 E. Main St., on May 22 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and there will be a door prize with random garden items collected by Gavett as a thank you to the group for joining.
“You help someone else growing food and reducing food insecurity,” she said. “If you can help someone grow, in turn people help you.”
