Central Keystone Living Spring 2017 - 16

In addition to the financial and health benefits of residents having
the ability to raise their own fruits and vegetables, community gardens have been proven to also have a broader community impact
including community organizing, green space, cultural opportunities,
support of youth, food production, and health benefits.

Sunflower Fields will work with the Penn State Extension office
staff to help start-up a local 4H club based on the interests of
the youth within the community, as well as to bring educational
seminars on-site. Local 4-H clubs educate youth while helping
to build confidence and leadership skills.

Sunflower Fields will offer a variety of educational programming
through the Community Gardens Service Coordinator in cooperation
with the Penn State Extension office. A few highlights include:

Potential student intern opportunities will be available to Penn
State Agriculture students.

The Community Gardens Service Coordinator will coordinate
various workshops and seminars for households focusing on
"how to cook and eat healthy."

A community center with extra sinks, countertop space, and
stove tops as well as a meeting area to allow for educational
workshops on healthy meal preparation, canning and preserving foods, basic gardening, how to make jellies and jams; etc.

"Open-air" harvest exchange area to allow for gardeners to
exchange "excess" fruits and vegetables and/or to hold outside
community gatherings or training workshops.

The development will hire a part-time Community Gardens
Service Coordinator to assist with the overall start-up; coordination of tilling and soil management; assisting tenants with the
how, when, where, and why's of starting a garden; enforcement
of the community garden rules and regulations, etc.

The response to Sunflower Fields has been incredible since its
inception and our list of supporting partners is off to a great start
and growing. Sunflower Fields is currently under construction,
with the first set of units ready for occupancy in mid-March 2017.

MECHANICSBURG
6220 Carlisle Pike
717-697-9423
LANCASTER
1320 Manheim Pike
717-393-2880
a.m to 8 p.m. Daily
10 a.m.
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday
essisandsons.com

Central Keystone Living // SPRING 2017

http://www.essisandsons.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Central Keystone Living Spring 2017