AG Secretary Discusses Opportunities to Grow Own Food Through Gardening

HARRISBURG, Pa., April 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Agriculture Secretary Dennis Wolff discussed the importance of home gardening and consumers growing their own food today as families face tighter budgets as he helped open a new community garden in Selinsgrove, Snyder County.


"Recently, there has been an increased interest in home gardening as consumers are trying to stretch their dollars," said Wolff. "Growing your own food is a great way to cut costs and local gardens decrease the distance food travels from farm to fork reducing carbon emissions and providing a nutrient-rich source of fresh fruits and vegetables.


"We also encourage gardeners to share their bounty by planting an extra row to donate to those with limited access to fresh produce through a local food bank."


Because not everyone has the space to plant a garden, community gardens are becoming more popular and widely available, particularly in urban and suburban areas.


"Thanks to community gardens, consumers are learning about agriculture, Pennsylvania's number one industry, by being in closer touch with where their food comes from," said Wolff.


The new gardening effort Wolff helped launch today -- the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture/Selinsgrove Community Gardens -- is on a seven-acre parcel of the department's 223-acre farm. The project is a partnership between the department, Penn State Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners, the Susquehanna River Coalition, and Susquehanna and Bucknell universities.