Urbandale Gardens Feed Suburban Hungry

Church and community volunteers are harvesting a bounty of fresh produce this summer for Urbandale residents who need help feeding their families.

Two churches and a Master Gardeners group are contributing fresh vegetables weekly to the Urbandale Food Pantry.

"It's just been amazing," pantry director Eileen Boggess said of the beans, collard greens, beets, tomatoes and other produce volunteers bring to the pantry every weekend.

"We're so blessed to be able to give such healthy, wonderful, fresh food to people,” she said. “It goes very fast."

The Urbandale pantry is one of a network of pantries operated by the Des Moines Area Religious Council. It serves Urbandale and Windsor Heights.

Urban Heights Evangelical Covenant Church and the Urbandale United Church of Christ planted gardens this spring to supply the pantry. The Polk County Master Gardeners' demonstration garden at 92nd Street and Dewey Gibbs Road has been supplying food for a couple years.

The Urban Heights church planted a 75-foot by 75-foot community garden called Urban Harvest in back of the church.

“We had a lot of people in the congregation saying, 'You know what, we have a lot of land; let’s plant a community garden',” said Beth Rydberg, garden manager for Urban Harvest.

She attended a workshop on gardening last January and came away ready to try the idea of a community garden. Urban Harvest is part of Grow the Food, a group of community gardens in the Des Moines area to feed the local hungry.

“It’s not that it’s just a church project,” said Bruce Rydberg, a member of Urban Heights church. “We’re inviting anyone in Urbandale to come over and help.”

The Isaak Walton League and Boy Scout Troop 98 helped build the garden. The scouts helped build the 30-inch raised beds so people with disabilities or elderly volunteers can sit while they work in the garden.

Urban Heights Pastor Dick Nystrom has enjoyed watching students from Urbandale Middle School help in the garden “It was so interesting to see how interested they were in that work,” he said. “They were satisfied getting their hands dirty doing work for the common good.”

Urban Heights congregant Doug Hillman also has enjoyed working in the garden. “I think I’ve felt really fulfilled to be able to do something like that, especially how it’s going to benefit people in Urbandale who aren’t able to afford as much food.”

“We really want to see people from the community come and help,” said Beth Rydberg said. “There’s no reason a child in Urbandale should go hungry.”

The community is invited to view the garden any time, to help weed (bring gloves), or to harvest on Sunday and Wednesday evenings.  Donations of time and resources are always welcome.

For more information visit the Urban Harvest Facebook page, its blog, or call the church at 515-278-1371.