The Elmsdale Community Garden is a project of the East Hants Community Learning Association, bringing food security to people in and around Elmsdale. We grow crops, hold workshops and provide food for the community at pop up markets around East Hants.
The Community Garden was founded out of a need for food security in our community. Between work, bills and personal commitments, many people struggle to fit healthy food into their lives. This is where we come in. We provide the seeds, space and gardeners to grow crops for the community. The food is available for anyone: all we ask is you let us know how many people the food will go towards feeding. In 2021-22, the Elmsdale Community Garden helped fill 2,673 plates.
We often get requests to help with the Elmsdale Community Garden. Here are some ways you can help us grow:
- Donate towards pop up markets (we typically spend $100 per market)
- Host a pop up market in your community (best at a busy location)
- Donate produce (best on the day of a pop up market)
- Like and share our posts on Facebook
- Share how our produce helps you and your family
The Elmsdale Community Garden is there for anyone that would like to try! Here are some examples of folks that might drop by any given week:
- A senior that wants some extra veggies
- A mother with picky eaters
- A family struggling to get by
- A child that wants a quick snack
- A student with large student loans
- A gardener whose plants didn't produce
- Someone who wants to try something new
We have a few rules for users of the Elmsdale Community Garden:
- Check what is ready on the board on the garden shed
- E-mail us how many people you are feeding today
- Place garden waste in compost bins behind the shed
- No smoking on the property
- Please like and share us on Facebook
Thank you for helping us share the garden with everyone!
Don't feel guilty about taking food from the Elmsdale Community Garden. It is there for our community and we don't want food to go to waste.
Instead, make sure that you let us know how many people are fed every time you use it. This shows our funders the garden is being used and that we are feeding more people. These numbers allow us to expand and continue the good work we are doing.
If you or someone you know is struggling to feed themselves or their family, let us know. We have a community freezer stocked with ready-to-eat meals and funds to help those struggling with access to food. Get in touch and we'll do what we can to help.
Check out our Facebook page for updates on events. These include:
- Pop up markets (free food at various locations)
- Harvest Dinner (community-based 3-course meal)
- Workshops on gardening, nutrition, cooking and more
Interested in hosting a pop up market, workshop or other event? Please let us know!
Navigating the Garden
Finding your way around the garden can be challenging if you’ve never gardened before. To help, we have created the ECG Garden Map Guide. When a crop is ready, we will highlight the bed or planting area on the map, as well as the specific plants in the guide. The guide will be updated periodically, based on which produce is ready to harvest. For the most up to date information, check the markers placed in the garden boxes.
Once you’ve helped yourself to some fresh produce, don’t forget to let us know how many people it fed. Email your numbers to elmsdalecommunitygarden@gmail.com. These numbers help us show how many people we feed and find additional funding for next year.