Garden4Good Community Garden
The Garden4Good is a volunteer based organization that donates fresh produce to Food Pantries in New Jersey. It has been running since spring 2021, and has produced hundreds of pounds of fresh produce for humans in need.
​
After volunteering at Montville's Garden4Good, I became aware of the need for fresh produce to be donated to our town's food pantry. Fresh produce is very expensive. Why? According to the United Nations Environment Programme, there are approximately 100 crops that provide 90% of the world's food. Of those 100, 71 are pollinated by bees. Closer to home in North America, honey bees specifically pollinate 95 kinds of fruits including almonds, avocados, cranberries, apples and soy. Fewer pollinators result in less produce. Less produce means that the demand for a single item drives up prices, hurting impoverished populations.
​
As a new beekeeper and gardener, I have gained knowledge of the relationship between pollinators and garden crops through my mentors. Taking this into consideration, I have worked within my own garden, the Garden4Good, and other community gardeners to spread awareness on how we can work together for the success of pollinators.
The hum of bees is the voice of the garden.
Elizabeth Lawrence