NEWS RELEASE
RARE CHARITABLE RESEARCH RESERVE
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What does a ton of fresh organic produce look like? Staff and volunteers know what it’s like to lift.
"This work takes months and involves, harvesting, cleaning, gathering and delivery," says Taryn Jarvis, Gardens & Facilities Coordinator at rare. "We’re talking about dozens—sometimes hundreds—of bushels of potatoes, carrots, beets, cucumbers, squash, leafy greens, berries, onions, garlic and more. It’s hundreds of staff and volunteer hours to plant these in the ground, tend the beds—weeding, watering and so on. But it’s worth it. Gardening at rare isn’t just about sustainability; it’s about food security, too. Our staff and volunteers are proud to support people in need in our region, and I’m so thankful for their dedication."
With the final crops gathered and delivered, rare recorded a total of 2,540 pounds of fresh, organic produce donated to the Cambridge Food Bank in 2024—over 300 pounds more than last year.
The harvest resulted from the hard work of rare staff and 391 hours volunteered by individuals plus over 773 volunteer hours from corporate groups, including Enbridge, Septodont, Pri-Med, Gore Mutual, TELUS, Toyota Motors Manufacturing Canada (TMMC), AIL, Pepsi Co, Sustainable Waterloo Region and more.
Even after the last crops were harvested, there was still work to do. "The garden beds had to be prepped for winter," Jarvis explains. "Volunteers helped put down ground cover and other tasks to ensure we have good plots to grow in when spring arrives."
"At rare, we’re committed to building a sustainable world, which goes beyond just protecting natural areas," says Stephanie Sobek-Swant, Executive Director at rare. "To combat climate change and build local resilience, we must ensure our communities can also use these natural spaces sustainably. Springbank Farm is a valuable site for sustainable agriculture and by supporting food security, we’re creating healthier communities better equipped to protect the natural areas that benefit their health and well-being."
Springbank Farm may be resting for winter, but spring will be here before we know it. "There’s still work to do in the greenhouses, getting seedlings ready for next year’s harvest," says Jarvis. "We’re also looking forward to our Seedy Saturday seed exchange in March, reopening the gardens to volunteers and our Spring Plant Sale in May, which is always a welcome sign of spring."
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