Background

Garden Path received funding from the Calgary Foundation, Alberta Ecotrust, Wal-Mart Evergreen, and Hellmann's-Evergreen to launch a pilot program focused on a large communal garden project called Cornucopia. The slogan “sharing an abundant harvest” meant that whether people wanted to buy shares of produce, volunteer, have food donated to a shelter or simply learn new skills, they would be able to do this in a ½ acre area untouched by the garden previously.

Approximately $65,000 was used to build a mandala-inspired communal garden with over 50 volunteers working more than 900 volunteer hours. With a simple irrigation line, hand-seeding, weeding and unique features such as an herb spiral and companion planting, the garden managed to produce 4000 pounds of food in only 4 months. Food recipients such as the Calgary Dream Centre demonstrated how the lack of fresh food in Calgary can bring out the best in volunteers, working together with people of all walks of life towards a common goal of putting food on the table.

Garden Path is thrilled to strengthen urban agriculture issues in the community and provide food growing opportunities for people from all reaches of Calgary, and groups are being encouraged to apply for volunteering in 2010.

In 2009, over 1900 pounds of vegetables from Cornucopia were donated to:

• The Alex Spinz Around Program
• The Children's Cottage - Crisis Nursery
• Sheriff King YWCA