On behalf of the staff and Board of Directors of the Brownwood Area Community Garden, I would like to express our gratitude to all who contributed to the Garden in 2014. It is now nearly five years since the Garden opened, and we continue to meet and expand our missions of growing produce for direct donation, leasing space for others to grow their own, education, and job training and employment.
We rely on our community partners for their advice, encouragement, and support, especially the Brown County Farmers Market, Experience Works, Keep Brownwood Beautiful, Central Texas Opportunities, and Brownwood Housing Authority. Our work could not continue without precious volunteers, who include those who lease space in the Garden, community service workers, and groups like the Howard Payne University S.W.A.R.M. (serving with a right motive) who can get a big job done in a day! Thanks also to everyone who attended the Garden Leadership Training and gave their labor in exchange for instruction.
Essential funding came from the J.R. Beadle Foundation, Central Texas Opportunities, and the Woman’s Club of Brownwood. Special thanks are also due to Steves’ Market and Deli and the Turtle Restaurant, who each catered outstanding fundraising dinners at the Garden and helped us showcase the Garden and raise money at the same time.
The Garden relies heavily on donations, and would like to acknowledge everyone who gave us seeds, plants, tools, books, and other supplies, especially Suzanne Featherston, Daniel Vasquez, Leo Tulcus, Sue’s Back Yard Nursery, Cullen’s Hometown Market, Weakley-Watson Hardware, and Deep Roots Nursery in Carbon, TX. Thanks also to the City of Brownwood Sanitation Dept. for their generous donation and delivery of wood-chip mulch for our pathways.
In conclusion, I would like to invite all readers to visit or volunteer at the Garden, any second or fourth Saturday (weather permitting) from 10-1. We are at 1514 Dublin St., inside the Brownwood Housing Authority Park Homes.
Gratefully,
Suzanne Ferraro